Corrin Reacts!
by ElfCollaborator
Summary: Our loveable half-dragon prince of two kingdoms reacts to fanfiction, games, tropes and other shenanigans. Hilarity (maybe) ensues! Rated T for shenanigans. Fire Emblem belongs to Nintendo. Chapter: Fire Emblem Fates, Part 2! "It seemed like a good idea at the time, alright?" AU, OOC, OC, crossover warning, absolute crack. Part of the Greater Reactsverse.
1. Corrin Reacts to Fanfiction, Part 1!

**Corrin Reacts to Fanfiction, Part 1!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all to…wait, what do you mean you want** **Lucina Reacts** **? Oh, I'm still working on that, but I do have a nice twist for you there. The second half of the RWBY Chibi Reaction over in** **Weiss Reacts** **will come out later. Anyway, this is a semi-interest check, semi-premiere of the fourth Reactsverse fic; seeing as I'm still working out schedules, this will not update nearly as regularly as one would think, as I've not updated regularly in a long while, but I will try my best.**

 **For those of you new to the Reactsverse series, the basic premise is that our beloved characters, whether they be badass time-travelling magical girls, ice heiresses or time-travelling flat-chested princesses, are reacting to fanfic and other such filth. And of course varying antics, shenanigans, and creative troping, but eh. So, let's get on with this! This takes place post-Revelations, with a few changes here and there to allow for maximal antics and shipping. And if you have yet to figure that out from the blurb, smack yourself on the back of the head for not reading it.**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise Elise would default to a Maid class. (I'll just have to satisfy my moe urges with reclassing her later.) Warning for spoilers to anyone who has NOT played Revelations.**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

It had been two years since the climactic war that embroiled both the kingdoms of Hoshido and Nohr, the descendants of the Dawn and Dusk Dragons, after the murder of Queen Mikoto of Hoshido.

Two years since their royal families, retainers and other allies convened and headed into the hidden kingdom of Valla to slay the insane, godly dragon Anankos, led by one of his very blood, Corrin and their partner Azura.

It was a long, trying two years. Hoshido and Nohr were forced to rebuild that which had been destroyed in the short conflict prior to their alliance to destroy the Slient Dragon, and Valla had been utterly ruined by his madness; neither Corrin nor Azura could take their birthright back in full and now dwelt in the dimension Lilith had brought them to all those years ago-dubbed with the rather imaginative name 'Fort Corrin'- with a portal built towards the capitals of the two kingdoms, Windmire and Shirasagi to allow the two to visit their friends dwelling far away. The place had been since kitted up with a proper palace, befitting of the royalty who lived there, instead of the treehouse they lived in for whatever reason.

Meanwhile, new principalities had risen from the ashes; Kohga, the homeland of the rogue Shura had been rebuilt from the lands of Mokushu- a fitting fate for the land that had destroyed it- while Cheve stood strong, its military rebuilt and now free of Garon's yoke. The Ice Tribe had their freedom once more, and the Wolfskin and Kitsune, previously hunted, now lived openly due to the exploits of their leaders during the war, celebrated as heroes.

And all was well.

Except Takumi. He was still just as much of a jackass as always.

But then, one couldn't have everything.

Of course, there was no need to think on the past. Today was a good day in Fort Corrin.

Elise had decided- against the protests of Xander and everyone else present- that she wanted to go live up there with her older sibling, 'leaving the nest' so to speak. Today was the day she intended to move up there, too.

The inhabitants of the fort were up all of the morning working on making it ready for her, with Corrin and Flora making the entrance hall ready for her while Jakob attempted to salvage the catastrophe Felicia had created in attempting to cook up a legendary feast for the young princess. Azura's contribution had been to making her room ready; the two princesses had grown close during the war and Azura saw fit that she help around the fortress by taking some work off the others by helping clean up the room that Elise would be sleeping in.

And it was on that very morning that the whole world would be changed forevermore.

* * *

" _You are the ocean's grey waves_ …." Azura softly sang to herself as she set a small vase of roses up on the bedside table in the room that was to be Elise's. She closed her eyes, brushing a stray strand of light blue hair from her eyes. The songstress sighed, placing her hands on her hips as she looked around the room.

"I never realised how hard doing this all on your own was….." Azura mused as she wiped some sweat from her temple. "Perhaps I should've asked Corrin or someone else to help me. And I nearly got myself tied up with the bedsheets….

….perhaps it's best I don't tell Jakob about what happened." She closed her eyes, cringing at the terror that was a king-sized duvet cover. "….he'd lecture me all day on how beds are meant to be set.

Still….I hope Elise likes her new room."

Azura smiled at the thought of the hyperactive princess coming to dwell with them. She could almost hear her cheerful cry of "BIG BRO!" ringing down the halls already. The songstress spared herself a small giggle.

"Alright. I'd better sit down for a moment." She stepped outside the door, shutting it behind her as she sat on a nearby chair, collecting her thoughts.

Something caught her eye. Azura turned her head to the nearby bench; it was a favourite haunt of Flora's, as the ice maiden liked to sit here and contemplate things when she was resting.

"It's a…book." The songstress noted, picking up a small tome that was where Flora usually sat. "…did Flora leave this behind?"

She examined the book closely. It was black and untitled, with what appeared to be a logo of six eyes linked by a single line in a bend. The sigil seemed ominous, but Azura could not explain why. She tilted her head curiously.

"…hm. Is this a spellbook of some sort? I didn't know Flora was studying magic…" She looked around suspiciously, looking for any sign of Flora or her sister. "…..hm. I'm…..sure she wouldn't mind if I take a small peek into this tome. Just a peek, to make sure it's hers."

Breathing deeply and taking one last look around, Azura opened the book just a bit.

The pages were blank and utterly devoid of any words or illustration. The songstress looked confused for a second.

"…huh? Where…..is this a diary of some sort? Oh, no, no, I'd better close this." Azura declared. "Flora wouldn't want me to be-"

Suddenly, the tome shot open and Azura, in her surprise, released a loud squeak and clasped the covers tight, as the pages blew in front of her as if driven by a strong gale, words popping into existence onto the blank sheets faster than Azura's eyes could follow, before settling back onto the first page of the book, settling down as if nothing had ever happened.

"What k-kind of magic was that? I'm…..was that a protective charm?" The songstress breathed deeply, somewhat shaken as she looked the page up and down. "….and…..huh.

The author of this book can be seen now….who's 'AzurrinFan69'? That does not sound like a name at all. Perhaps a pseudonym of some sort...but a rather…..amateurish one, if I'm honest. Perhaps Flora didn't want people to read it because of this…though….."

She flipped the page, tilting her head.

"….What is a…'fanfic'?" Azura squinted, examining the word. "…is that right? I…..I'm not sure if that word is spelt right. They've spelled quite a few things wrong…..

…wait. Wait. Is this a story about me? My name…..yes, that's my name and it has Corrin too…..w-wait.

Wait. What is….."

Her eyes widened as she saw her and Corrin engaging in some sort of…. _indecent_ act involving chocolate syrup, which they were covered in, while devoid of all clothes.

And by the story's telling, they seemed to be enjoying it very much. _Very_ much.

A second passed.

Azura's horrified scream rang throughout the corridors.

….

Corrin was at her side in a minute, the boy clutching his knees and breathing heavily from the effort.

When he arrived, he saw the songstress clutching her face in horror and shame, with a book on the floor turned with the spine pointed up and her cheeks redder than Hinoka's hair.

"G-good gods…" He sighed, partially in relief from Azura being unharmed and partially from exasperation. "I thought you were hurt, Azura! W-what happened?"

"…..b-b-book….." She slowly pointed at the tome on the floor. Corrin blinked.

"What?"

"T-that book….." The songstress tried to regain her composure as she gazed up at the prince with an embarrassed expression. "…i-it had an….indecent….. _perverted_ …..story. I-I thought it was F-Flora's a-and I read it t-to see w-what it was….d-don't tell her, please…."  
"…..perverted?" Corrin tilted his head as he picked up the book, examining it carefully. His eyes widened as he got to the portion involving him, Azura and the chocolate syrup slathered over their naked bodies.

"….oh. Wow. That's…..erm. Very, very perverted."

"…..yes." Azura blinked briefly, as if not quite understanding why he'd repeat her. "I-it is."

"….and you thought _Flora_ owned this why?"

"….I-I found it on her spot, w-where she likes sitting." Azura explained. "How are you so c-calm about this?"  
The prince's cheeks were slightly reddened. "….a-actually…..i-it is kinda perverted…b-but, you know, I worked with _Niles_. And then you know how Camilla is, and Orochi…."

"…..y-you have a point about that." The songstress conceded, returning to calm. "S-still…you have to find out who owns this. And w-who this 'AzurrinFan69' is….."  
"You're right." Corrin closed his eyes, shutting the book. "Well, first things first is that we find Flora and-"

"C-Corrin?" Felicia tapped him on the shoulders, causing him to turn around. "Yes?"

"E-Elise is-"  
"BIG BROOOOOOOOO!"

The young princess' voice echoed down the corridor. Corrin sighed as he looked down at the book in his hands.

"Yeah, yeah, just give me a-Ah!" The prince yelped as his arm was grabbed by Felicia.

"L-Lady Elise w-will be disappointed if y-you're not there! She's been l-looking f-forward to seeing you for a while!" Felicia seemed happy. "C-Come on, Corrin!"

"W-wait! Felicia!" Corrin yelped, but it was no use, as she was already halfway down the corridor with him.

Azura closed her eyes, no longer embarrassed but now concerned.

' _W-wait a second…..if that book showed me…..that…..'_

"Oh. Oh no. Not Elise. Not Elise! FELICIA! CORRIN! WAIT!"

She immediately ran after Corrin and Felicia.

* * *

 _In the entrance hall…._

"This is going to be so much FUN!" Elise chirped happily as she skipped through the door, Xander, Effie and Arthur walking in tow. The young King of Nohr was as regal as always in dress and countenance, but his expression belied less a royal king and seasoned warrior and more a concerned and rather overprotective brother.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay living here with Corrin? You know, you can always come back home if you want. Anytime. Literally." Xander offered as his little sister smiled brightly at him.

"It's gonna be okay! I have Corrin and Azura and everyone else right here with me! And besides, Effie and Arthur won't be far away, they promised to come and visit!"

"Did I have to carry all of these bags? Not that I complain- I would rather die than deny Lady Elise- but surely you could have carried more, Effie." The axefighter remarked, struggling under the weight of Elise's rather large and well-packed luggage. Effie huffed, carrying only one bag.

"It's good for the muscles! You should carry heavy weights to make you strong!"

"These weights are indeed quite heavy…but I fear they're not having the desired effect….." Arthur grunted as he struggled under the weight. "Then again, I did draw the short straw. Literally."  
"You _broke_ the straw." The female knight pointed out. "And then tripped and stabbed yourself with all of them-"  
"L-Lady Elise doesn't need to know all that!"

Xander sighed. "You know, Elise, you can always do this some other time."

"Oh come on, Xander! I want to live with Corrin now!" Elise crossed her arms and pouted huffily. "Besides, I'll always visit you and everyone else back home! I'm an adult now!"

"…..that, I suppose you are." The prince closed his eyes in defeat, sighing with a small smile. "Very well. I'll stop bothering you about it, then."

Elise's pout remained. The prince tensed briefly, before shaking his head.

"…and I will tell Laslow to go away. I won't have him or Peri check in on you."

"…how did she see me?" As if on cue, Laslow stepped out behind a nearby lamppost. "I even had Niles teach me how to hide-"

"Just leave." Xander ordered calmly. Laslow frowned, rubbing the back of his head.

"…..alright. Come on, Peri." He motioned to the other lamppost as he headed back towards the portal to their home.

"Awww…I was looking forward to killing the poor suckers who snuck in!" The cavalier stepped out, huffing annoyedly as she followed her partner back to the portal.

Elise's pout faded. She hugged her brother around the waist tightly, cooing.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine! Corrin and Azura will protect me!" The girl giggled. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"….alright." Xander conceded. "You win, Elise. Just…don't forget to tell me if something's happened, alright? Send letters, drop in…..you know how much Camilla worries….."  
"I'm not sure Camilla's worrying that much compared to _you_." Elise teased, giggling still. "You're here, after all~"

"Yeah, we'll make sure she's fine. Don't worry yourself." Effie reassured him as she placed down her mistress' bag. Arthur took it as a signal to put his down, managing instead to fall over and crush himself under the weight. Elise's eyes widened.

"Arthur! Are you alright?!"

"Do not fear! My spine is _not_ broken! I think!" He called out from beneath Elise's bags.

Suddenly, the madness was interrupted as Felicia dragged Corrin towards the pair. The maid smiled happily.

"Felicia! Big bro!" Elise chirped happily as she all but tackled her older brother, squeezing his waist tightly as she pressed up against him.

"Ooof! H-hey, Elise!" Corrin wheezed, hiding one hand behind his back to keep the tome out of Elise's reach. "N-nice to….see you…my innards are…being pushed up…."  
"Corrin, I trust you'll take care of our sister?" Xander inquired calmly, a small smile on his face.

"I-if she doesn't c-choke me to death first."

"Shall I show you to your room?" Felicia inquired, trying not to giggle at the affectionate hugging. "It's nice to see you again, L-Lady Elise."

"Like I keep saying to you and my retainers, just call me Elise!" The girl complained, pouting for the umpteenth time in so many mintues. "We're friends, aren't we?"

"….f-fair point."

"E-Elise…..can you let me go…please….." Corrin wheezed out once more, before Elise relinquished him, giggling.

"Oh! Sorry! Are you alright, big bro?"

"I'll…..get back to you when my lungs have….reinflated…." He coughed for a few moments. "Gods, Elise, you've really grown. I was only in the Outrealms for, what, a few months?"

"Heheheh! I wanted to make myself look nice for the best big brother ever! And then you can tell me _all_ about what you did out there!"

"C-Can I know too?" Felicia raised her hand meekly.

Xander sighed, shaking his head. "She's talked about seeing you again for a while. We all have.

We've missed you, Corrin. Do you at least want to pay us a visit over at home? I know Camilla really wants to see you again-"  
"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about it." Corrin quickly waved him off. "Hey, listen. Do you guys, uh, mind if I head up to my-"  
"Oooooh! What's that?" Elise tilted her head before grabbing the tome from Corrin's hand. The prince flailed, panicking. He tried to reach for it, but the girl was fast enough to keep it out of his hands.

"H-hey! Give that back!" Corrin protested.

"Why? Is it a diary?" The little princess giggled teasingly. "Ooh! Maybe you _like_ someone! Is it Azura? I bet it's Azura!"

Xander frowned. "Elise, give it back to him."

"I just want to have a look at it!" The princess replied, before flipping through the pages. "Let's see…huh. Who's ElfCollaborator? What kind of name is that? Is it Hoshidan? I bet he wrote the book.

Ooh, ooh, what's it about?!"

Corrin froze in terror. Azura, who had just made it to the hall, also froze as she saw the tome in Elise's hands.

And Xander right there. With the dark magical sword Siegfried at his side. Right within striking range of Corrin.

' _Oh no.'_

* * *

"…i-it's about Xander! And the funny lady, Charlotte!" She giggled. "They're kissing!"

The Nohrian king's cheeks reddened at the thought. Of course, he refused to comment on whether or not the rumours involving him and the seductive axe fighter who spent much of her time around him during the war were true. "M-me and….Charlotte?!"

"Yep! And….uhm…that's weird." Elise blinked as she read further on, looking slightly less cheerful. "…..why are you two taking off all your clothes and holding each other real-"

"OKAY THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT" Corrin yanked the book out of Elise's hands. The girl pouted.

"H-hey! I was reading that! C-can you at least tell me what big bro and Charlotte were about to-"

The prince shook his head, his cheeks red with embarrassment. "I-I'll tell you when you're thirty!"

"B-but I want to know _nooooow_!" Elise whined.

" _Corrin_."

The prince froze as he heard the voices of Effie, Arthur and Xander in unison, the trio glaring at him. If their looks were arrows, Corrin would be riddled right now.

"…little brother _dear_ ….." Xander requested in a low voice that belied the killing intent behind it, his right eyelid twitching as his hand laid itself on the hilt of Siegfried. "Do you mind if we…talk for a minute?"

"Wait! Xander!" Azura called out. "I-I can explain!"

"…..then please, _explain_."

"It's not his book!" The songstress explained. "I-I found it! It was sitting….it was sitting on a bench and I decided to read it and Corrin was about to dispose of it!"

As if the situation couldn't be worse, Flora chose that moment to walk in.

"Dispose of what?" The blue-haired maid inquired. Xander pointed at the tome in Corrin's hand.

"T-that…..unholy, disgusting _perverted_ tome."

"…..F-Flora, please tell me this isn't yours." Azura implored. "Please."

"…I've never seen that book before. Why?" Flora blinked. "Is there something the matter? Lord Corrin, can I read it?"  
"N-no, wait, I-" The prince was about to speak, but Xander cut him off.

"Alright, then we'll destroy that book right here, right now! Before it gives anyone else any indecent ideas and spreads any more improper thoughts about myself and any of my subjects! For the glory of NOHR!"

Before Corrin could speak, Xander slammed the book out of his hands, drew Siegfried and stabbed downwards onto the book.

Siegfried bounced off of the cover and stabbed itself through the ground next to the tome. Xander blinked, looking shocked.

"….w-what?"

"Let me try!" Effie yelled as she charged in, spear at the ready as she stabbed downwards at it.

The spear shattered on contact. The knight looked shocked.

"What?! How…..it's just a book, right?!"

"Not just any book…..it's filled with some sort of evil magic!" Xander pointed out, staring at his brother. "Corrin, use your blade to destroy it!"

"Xander, if your sword couldn't do it, do you really think _mine_ can?" Corrin stared at him in confusion.

"...you're right." The older brother conceded. "How are we to get rid of this thing, then?"

Flora rubbed her chin. "Perhaps I could attempt to freeze and shatter it? I don't know why we're trying to remove this tome, though."  
"It has some sort of perverted story within it! We can't keep it here! It will corrupt Elise!"

"G-go right ahead!" Azura declared. "Corrin, please drop it."

"…..good luck, Flora." The prince remarked, before putting the tome down. Flora breathed in deeply.

"Please, step out of the way."

Effie, Arthur and the others stepped away from the tome as Flora closed her eyes. A cold wind rushed through the hall as a hail of snow and ice assailed and froze the tome solid.

"…alright." With a swift, deft hand movement, the blue-haired maid threw her knife at the tome.

The layer of ice over the tome broke, along with Flora's knife.

"…what." Both maid sisters stared in shock. Felicia looked at her sister.

"…..a-are you sure that knife wasn't b-broken?"

"That was my best knife." Flora replied. "….how did that even break?"

"…well, it's not safe to bring this book out of this world. What if someone like Orochi gets their hands on it? Or Azama?" Xander remarked. "Or Niles? Or, god forbid, _Charlotte_?"  
"Charlotte wouldn't be the type. There are far easier ways to get money, especially for her nowadays." Flora pointed out. Xander crossed his arms firmly.

"Still! We must keep this away from her! At all costs!"

"….as you insist." The blue-haired maid closed her eyes. "…Lord Corrin?"  
"S-sorry, Flora."

"Huh?"

"I-I mean….yeah. I'll keep it with me." The prince offered. "F-Felicia…..do you mind showing Elise her room?"

"S-sure-" The pink-haired maid raised a hand but before she could grab his attention, Xander interrupted.

"As for me, I will personally hunt down the man responsible for this monstrosity of a tome! If any man should find the creator, they will be rewarded handsomely!" The Nohrian king declared. Effie raised her fist.

"Yes! Nobody corrupts my Elise and gets away with it!"  
"Justice will be served to these perverts!"

"Yeah." Corrin nodded. "Justice to the perverts. Let's find 'em."

* * *

 **END OF PART 1**

* * *

 **A/N: So, the Fates cast get introduced to fanfiction and we already have Azura/Corrin and Charlotte/Xander tease. Game, set and match.**

 **Well, I hope you enjoy the UPCOMING STINGER**

* * *

 _Hours later, in Fort Corrin…._

"So. It took me months to find you."

"…..who are you?"

"I…well. I have many names. Mainly screamed curses and insults." The tall, shapely woman standing by the door remarked, brushing her platinum blonde hair from her face, pulling out a comb from her Plegian longcoat. "…however…..the fans and you can call me Reflet. I'm not from these parts.

I'm from the Halidom of Ylisse. However, I'm not an envoy of the Exalt of Ylisse. Rather…I'm here on behalf of the Antic Order. For those of you not in the know, we're an order of pranksters, whose aim is to ship, make mayhem and maybe spread some happiness on the way. At least, if I have my way."

Her conversational partner, sitting in a chair facing away from her, didn't look around at her. "…..I've never heard of Ylisse. Where's that?"  
"…you'll know eventually. I'm surprised you haven't run into us." Reflet remarked, smiling. "So. I hear reports about you.

You've been in the Outrealms before. Heard reports of a person by your description hanging out in the modern world. Just like me."

"I had to. I had to get experience, you see. Get away from it all. Learn about fanfic and all that. And of course, how to prank people better."  
"Oh? I guess you did learn. A lot." Reflet produced a folder from her coat, placing it down on the table in front of her. "You are possibly one of the most notorious pranksters the Order has been tracking."

"You've tracked me?"  
"The Great Hoshidan Beach Party Incident. I expect Saizou and Kagerou are still annoyed at you about that." The grandmistress remarked. "The Nohrian Underwear Affair. You know, you got one of my godchildren involved in that. You know him as Odin. I used to teach that boy how to use tomes. Real enthusiastic about it. That's just the least of the incidents we've got proof of you being involved in."

"I guess you're here to get back at me for those?" Her partner replied quizzically.  
"I'm here to _congratulate_ you." Reflet chuckled. "You're probably one of the best talents we've ever seen. We could use someone like you.

So, tell me. What are you in for, then? The satisfaction of trolling people? Shipping?"

The person she spoke to paused briefly. They spoke again.

"…..to see that smile of hers again. That's the only reason I wanted to do this whole pranking thing. To make her laugh. I felt like she deserved to smile after the hell her life's been."

"…and I suppose that thing back there, with the fanfiction tome was a misfire?"  
"It was intended for her, yes. I didn't think Azura would pick it up first. And it wasn't supposed to show a ton of lemons to people."

"I'm impressed. You even picked up the terminology in your time in the Outrealms." Reflet shook her head. "…you really, really need to step up your fieldwork. Who're you trying to make happy, anyway? Camilla? Felicia? Azura? Heck, Niles? I won't judge. He's pretty hot. If I wasn't married to the cutest thief in the multiverse, I'd tap that."

No response. Reflet smirked confidently.

"….heh. You're a tough cookie. I like that in an Order recruit. A good liar, too. You had Xander, Azura, Flora….you have _everyone_ fooled, you innocent, sly minx.

But…..then again…you're a master trickster in disguise. Isn't that right, Corrin?"

The chair turned around as Corrin revealed himself, his fingers tented.

"….this…..Order of yours. What can it do for me? If I join, that is?"

"We can….provide you with more fanfic-wielding opportunities. That's easy." Reflet explained, smiling and nodding, having confirmed that it was indeed the half-dragon prince himself she spoke to. "That way, whoever you're aiming for, you'll be able to bring 'em in for a good time. Perhaps you'll have more guts than the other two. Took 'em forty three chapters to confess, would you believe it?

However, if you're aiming to go loud…I have a proposition. Something you can't refuse."

Corrin's innocent features suddenly curled into a mischievous smirk.

"…..do tell, Miss Reflet. Do _tell_."

* * *

 **END**


	2. Corrin Reacts to Fanfiction, Part 2!

**Corrin Reacts to Fanfiction, Part 2!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! So, last chapter's ending was a whammy, huh. Well, I wanted to mix it up for once. Seeing as Corrin is the first male eponymous protagonist of a Reactsverse fic (seeing as the other fics are** **Weiss** **,** **Homura** **and** **Lucina Reacts** **), I did want to experiment quite a bit with the usual formula of a Reactsverse fic. Including making the protagonist the Antic Order jokester, seeing as usually, the protagonists get targeted by the Order. There's going to be other mix-ups to the formula, although I do apologise.**

 **Also, fair warning, characters will be rather out of character. Some of it is accidental, as I'm not used to writing characters from Fates yet (like Arthur and Felicia, for instance) and some is completely intentionally out of character. Apologies in advance. Anyway, let's get on with the chapter!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise Scarlet would have a far bigger role in the game (I really, really like Scarlet and I feel really guilty I played Conquest first).**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

Corrin crossed his arms, a contemplative look on his face. "So, what is all this?"

Reflet smirked as she laid out an assortment of gadgets on a table in front of the two. The grandmistress looked at the door.

"…you sure nobody's going to walk in? No random Hoshidan ninjas? No Nohrian spies?"  
"None. Felicia and Jakob are outside right now. They'll knock if they see anyone who shouldn't be here."

"Excellent," Reflet remarked as she rubbed her hands together. "Now, here's the arsenal of an Antic Order prankster."

She gestured to a sleek black rectangular device. "You know what this is, Corrin?"  
"A laptop," the prince responded. "I used to have one. I broke it before I left the Outrealms when I dropped my coffee on it. It's a shame; it was one of those really good ones, too."

Reflet smiled knowingly. "Good." She held up the Fanfiction Tome, the book marked with the Mark of Grima. "This is a useful tool, but it's also rather monotone. Only shows fanfic and fanart. Not that useful. This, however, is an Antic Order laptop. It'll get you Internet all the way out here, perfect access to fanfic, video games and so forth. This'll help in entertaining…whoever it is you want to entertain. And try to keep it out of Elise's hands, lest she runs upon lemons on the Internet."

Corrin shuddered, remembering already the wrath of Effie, Arthur and Xander when his little sister had read the lemon involving Charlotte. "….agreed. I'll make sure she doesn't."  
"Excellent! We don't want people getting caught in the crossfire when we don't want them to," the grandmistress commented. "Now. Second thing."

She gestured to a grey suitcase. "This here is the basic Antic Kit with several nifty gadgets. First, Order-brand activated adhesive; just press a button on the provided remote and the adhesive will activate and won't let them go until you turn it off. Second, vials of pheromone, aphrodisiac and invisibility Dust, imported directly from Vale. Try not to overuse the first two."  
"I won't," Corrin promised. "…the Order ships people together, right?"  
Reflet nodded. "One of our huge aims. We're tired of people dancing around the question. We've been thinking about getting our fingers in the metaphorical pie here, so to speak."  
"You want to ship some of my friends?" Corrin tilted his head curiously. Reflet smirked.

"Oh, sweet summer child, you don't know the half of it. I have a friend who's been drawing Kagerou/Saizou fanart. And not the 'Safe for Work' kind, either."

The prince raised an eyebrow. "Those two would probably blow a gasket. They've been trying to find out who pranked them since the beach party. Thank the gods they haven't."

"Third and final thing," Reflet continued, rubbing her hand over a pair of weapons that resembled box-like rocket launchers. "These are old Order tech. We haven't used these in years."

Corrin raised an eyebrow, slightly unnerved. "Is that a _bazooka_?!"

"Of a sort," the grandmistress explained. "This here is a Cosplay Cannon. You fire it, it dresses the target in an instant cosplay. I wouldn't expect it to work too well here, considering your maids are pretty much permanently in maid uniform, and of course you have people like Niles and Orochi who are absolutely shameless. However, if you fired it on someone with an actual sense of shame, like, say, _Hinoka_ , it might work."

"How many charges on this?" Corrin picked up the cannon, hefting it to test its weight. Reflet counted carefully, before shrugging.

"Don't ask me, I've never run out of charges on it."

The prince raised his eyebrow. "Good gods. And you guys spend all of this on pranking and shipping?"  
"We like to think we're improving people's lives by making them grow some balls and actually confess. And of course, we've got you now," the grandmistress replied with a smile. "If anyone is going to succeed in using our resources to ship people, then you're our best bet. After all, you've never been caught and if the Great Hoshidan Beach Party Incident is anything to go by, you've got a near hundred-percent success rate."

Corrin smirked. "Is that a challenge?"  
"Wouldn't have it any other way."

The prince rubbed his hands together. "So you're asking me to pair people up? Alright. Well, I do have a few targets in mind already. I know for a fact that Leo's been eyeing Hinoka since the war ended, even if he refuses to admit it."

"The red-headed spear-wielding amazon and the nerdy blonde guy," Reflet chuckled. "Where have I seen _that_ before? Well, I wish you luck with those two and anyone else. Now, I'd stay to chat, but I've got my own pair of lovable morons to hook up. If you need any backup, that laptop has a direct line to headquarters. I'll know in a jiffy and send you help. And also, start picking who you're going to recruit for the new Order chapter."

Corrin stood up, putting the antic supplies, save for the laptop, in a nearby closet and locking it up. "Alright. I'll see you around then."

"Wait, I had a question," Reflet stopped before she opened the door, holding up her finger. "….who is it, exactly, that you're aiming to make smile? I want to see if we can break a record."

Without hesitating, Corrin replied. "Flora. She's the one I wanted to target. To be honest…..she's really into _that_ kind of romance novel. I thought she might enjoy it. I just didn't think it'd be _that_ dirty."

"…and do you, by any chance, have a crush on her, or have feelings for her? Don't lie to me, I'll know," Reflet warned him. "Takes one to know one."

Again, without hesitating or any sign of dishonesty, Corrin replied calmly. "No. I just…you know? She's my friend, and…..I think she deserves to smile a little more. I mean, not the kind of smile that you just give out because you want people to think you're happy…..but the kind of smile you make when you _are_ happy. I think I….uh….want her to be happy, not just smile every once in a while."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Her life's been hard and I feel sorta responsible for it, what with…..why she ended up being my maid to begin with."

"You sure it's not Azura you want to help out?" Reflet cocked an eyebrow.

"Well…..her too," the prince admitted, shrugging. "But…I feel like I have to make it up to Flora for what happened to her. It's complicated, you wouldn't understand."

Reflet seemed pensive for a moment, studying his face curiously before making a satisfied smile. "…..hm. Interesting. Very interesting. Well…I hope you do make it up to her. She really needs it. Anyway, I've got to be off, send my best to Sever-I mean, Selena, Odin and Laslow for me, alright? Tell them their godmother said hi. Laters!"

With that, the grandmistress raised a hand in farewell and walked out of the room, leaving the prince all alone. He examined the laptop carefully, tilting his head.

"….fanfic, huh?" He smiled mischievously. "I have an idea. But…..first, I'll have to get a few people in on this operation. And I know just the guys….."

* * *

 _Elsewhere in the fort…._

' _And in the ice cold caves of the north, Jigoro and Yumi had no other choice but to share their warmth. Pressing up against the naked chest of the samurai, Yumi looked up plaintively at her companion._

" _J-Jigoro….please….." She uttered. "Keep me warm. Just for tonight."'_

"Flora?"

"I'm sorry!" The ice maiden immediately shut her copy of 'Ninjas of Love', hiding it behind her with a dusting of red on her cheeks as she stood up. "I'll get b-back to work right away!"

"….it's just me, Flora," Corrin reassured her, chuckling. "Sit down, please. I don't mind if you take a break. I did say I wanted to do more around the place, anyway."

Flora sighed in relief, regaining her composure. "Oh. Hello, Lord Corrin. How are you?"  
"I told you, you can just call me Corrin. We're friends, after all," he reminded her. She exhaled.

"I'm sorry, force of habit. Do you need anything?"  
"I…..was actually going to ask what you were reading there," the prince confessed. Flora looked slightly guilty.

"It was that book you gave me…that….Ninjas of Love book."

"You like it?" Corrin inquired curiously.

"It's rather…interesting," the maid confessed, looking shiftily away. "I…..still don't know how you knew I liked romance novels of _that_ kind. Thank you again, by the way."  
Corrin smiled. "Just a hunch. Listen…..are you doing anything right now?"

"I was going to go to sort your bedsheets-"

"I want to show you something," he explained. "Come with me."

Flora looked at him quizzically. "But, Lord-I mean, Corrin, what about-"  
"I can handle my bedsheets myself," he waved her off. "I've done those enough. Come on, it's just a few minutes."

The maid frowned, crossing her arms. "It's my job to worry about you, Corrin."

"And it's my duty as your friend to make you take a break and quit worrying, now come on!"

….

"So people like us enough to write stories about us?" Flora looked curiously at the laptop screen.

Corrin nodded. "Yeah. We're pretty famous out there. They really like _you_ in particular. They call it fanfiction."  
"Fanfiction, huh…..wait, me?" The maid looked genuinely confused. "What is there to like about me?"

The prince scoffed good-naturedly. "You're underselling yourself if you think there isn't anything to like about you. Anyway, yeah. There's a lot of stories out there about us. I thought you'd wanna look at it."

"…is there one about Jakob and I?" Flora inquired hopefully, before looking away suddenly. "N-not that I, uh, mind if there isn't."

' _Jakob, huh?'_ Corrin kept that piece of information down for later use. "Alright. Let's see….."

The maid looked as curious as a child. "…..and this device is some sort of….magical gadget that allows you to read all of this?"  
"And more, but that can wait," the prince responded. "Ah, here we go. Um….take your pick. I'm actually pretty new to this, too, so I'm not as experienced as you think."

Flora tilted her head. "Was this one of your souvenirs from the Outrealms?"  
"You could say that. Now go ahead! Take your pick."

The maid took a look at the screen, before picking one particular story.

It was about the two having a calm conversation over tea on a snowy afternoon, ending with a kiss between Flora and Jakob. Corrin raised an eyebrow, as the maid seemed to be enraptured with the idea. A small smile crossed her face at the thoughts running through her head.

Eventually, Corrin shook his head. "…..so. You have a crush on Jakob."

"Huh?" Flora stared at him. "Did you say something?"  
"You have a crush on him."

Her cheeks reddened as she looked away guiltily. "I…..well….." The room suddenly felt increasingly colder and wind began to howl inside.

Corrin flailed around, shaking his head.

"H-hey! I didn't say it was a _bad_ thing! I was just curious! I promise, I won't tell him!"

"….p-please, don't." Flora quietly implored him as she refused to look at him. "I….it would be the death of me if you did. I-I'm not even sure he'd…..he'd like me back."  
"Hm. I dunno about that. Maybe he does," the prince reassured her. "You're better than you think you are."

At this, the maid blushed furiously. "Y-you're just saying that. Please, Corrin, I-"  
"Oh, come off it! I'm serious. I seriously think you two would be a great pair!" Corrin reassured her. "Go for it! Really! I'm with you every step of the way."

"…..t-thank you. I'll….I'll keep that in mind." Flora swallowed nervously, as the temperature of the room returned to warmer extremes and the wind began to subside. "…I'll pursue him on my own time. I'm glad to know you're supporting me."

She smiled at him, probably the first genuine smile he'd seen in a while.

"I'll see you later, Corrin, I really _must_ be getting back to work now."

Before he could respond, she'd already stood up and left, as he sighed. He was left to stare at the laptop.

"Hm. Jakob and Flora, huh?"

* * *

 _Later, in Corrin's room…_

"And that is who our main target is, as the newborn Vallite chapter of the Antic Order," Corrin explained to the gathered members of the Order he'd recruited earlier.

Among the assembled were Kaze, Felicia, Silas and Mozu, sitting around on crates brought up to the room. Kaze raised his hand.

"So…..you want us to help you get Flora and Jakob together, yes?" The ninja inquired to clarify.

Silas chuckled. "Oh, just like a good old romantic play, the kind you used to love. Anyway, what do you need us for? We all know you're the best trickster of us all."

Corrin crossed his arms. "A trickster needs a bag of tricks and a crew to carry them out. As you all know by now, Xander wants whoever set up the Tome of Smut and Filth, as he dubbed it, captured and brought to him. And, from your reports, Kaze, I know that Ryoma wants the guy responsible for the Great Hoshidan Beach Party Incident."

"Saizou's always talking about what he'll do to the person who was responsible for that….." Kaze admitted, shuddering.

"Now, I've brought you all here because you're all the most loyal and best friends a man could ask for. And of course, I need you not just for Flora and Jakob, although that's the whole point of the exercise. I need you because I plan to pair everyone off that I can, up to and including you," Corrin explained. "And also because your skills are all unique."

"Felicia, your job is to set up traps and acquire materials for the Order. Nobody will ever suspect you."

"O-oh! I get it! It's because people think I'm a klutz, right?" The maid inquired, sounding a little hurt. Corrin frowned. "Not only because of that. You're cute, innocent and nobody would ever suspect you of being in league with the devious prankster responsible for all of this."

"I-I'm cute?!" Felicia cried, blushing.

He pointed next to Silas. "You are my getaway buddy. When and if we need a quick getaway, you're the best runner. And the only guy I know who has a fast horse and won't rat me out to Xander or Ryoma straight away."

"You can count on me!" He smiled confidently.

"Kaze, your job is to keep Elise out of the antic crossfire," Corrin continued, nodding at the ninja. "I'd rather she wasn't involved in the whole pranking business. Especially since it may involve a few Disrobing Gales."

Kaze raised an eyebrow. "Corrin, are you _sure_ this is safe?"

"Positive. I don't need the Gales unless something goes absolutely wrong, anyway."

The ninja sighed. "You know, Corrin, this is rather dangerous business. Ryoma wants the head of that man himself."

"And Xander's not too happy about it himself," The cavalier to his left pointed out. Corrin sighed.

"I have that handled. I have a few spies in those courts and you're not the only members of the Order. If Ryoma or Xander are getting close to finding me, I'll just lay low. Anyway, that just leaves you, Mozu."

The villager looked up, curiously. "W-what could little old me do for you a-anyway?"  
"You're the best herbalist in the army. You're also just as innocent-looking and completely above suspicion as Felicia here is. Your job is to make sure that I have enough smoke bombs and other assorted potions for my tricks," Corrin remarked. "I don't trust this to anyone but you. Can you handle that, Mozu? For the sake of love?"

Mozu looked contemplative for a moment, before slowly nodding. "…well…..if you put it that way, I suppose doing all this for…..helping other people find love? I….I'll do my best."

"Excellent." Corrin clapped his hands. "So. We have our Antic Order chapter."

Silas chuckled. "I still can't believe you're doing all this for the sake of getting people to confess to each other."

"You would think the pressures of war would've loosened people up, but alas…." Kaze sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know for a fact that my brother still holds a torch for Kagerou. If you could resolve that issue, I'd be eternally grateful."

"I think this venture is doomed to fail."

Corrin and the others looked up to see Azura leaning on the doorframe, frowning. The prince shook his head.

"Says who?"  
"When have pranks and tricks ever worked to push people together?" The songstress asked. Corrin smirked, wagging his finger teasingly.

"Azura, Azura, _Azura_ , have you learned nothing about me? I love a challenge, if nothing else."

"I never said you didn't," she replied. "That's why I want to join. I won't be much help, but…..I want to see if you could really do it. And besides, Corrin, we're partners."  
"And partners stick together to the end," the prince completed. "Heh. I taught you that one."

Azura smiled back. "I suppose you did."

"So!" Corrin clapped, as his subordinates stood in the room. "We begin our noble mission! And I shall recite the sacred oath of the Order."

He cleared his throat.

"Prepare for trouble, and make it double! To protect the world from consternation! To unite all pranksters under our banner! To denounce the haters and create more ships! To extend our shipping to the stars above!"

The prince struck a magnificent pose. "The Antic Order, blast off at the speed of plot! Surrender now, or prepare for fright!"

Everyone stared at him blankly for a minute afterwards. Corrin's spirits sank.

"…that was intended to be a little inspiring."  
"…it…had a little spark in it?" Silas offered hopefully, but his hopeful expression faltered somewhat.

Azura shook her head. "That was rather bad technique."

"You really do need a partner to say it with you…." Mozu offered up. "It's n-not the kind of thing you just say alone…."

Felicia raised her hand. "I thought it was great….."

Corrin sighed. "Well…let's hope our antics get on better than that did. Anyway, let's end this meeting for now. We'll reconvene when I've drawn up a plan to get Jakob and Flora together, or have found another couple to hook up.

Until next time, Order members!"

* * *

 **END**

 **A/N: So, the Order has been assembled; Azura, Kaze, Silas, Mozu and Felicia. Along with a few unknowns. I'll leave it to you to consider who these unknown members are. Anyway, next chapter, we'll be reacting to Mary Sues! That's right, the same one as the third chapter of Lucina Reacts! Anyway, time for a STINGER!**

* * *

 _Meanwhile, at Castle Shirasagi…_

"So…..the Nohrians are looking for a trickster," Ryoma noted, looking at the latest letter he'd received from Xander. "With a reward of several hundred gold coins."

Hinoka clapped. "So, are we going to help them? Maybe this guy's behind the beach incident."  
"D-don't bring it up….." Sakura requested, still blushing at the thought.

Takumi crossed his arms, shaking his head. "You guys still don't believe me that it was Corrin."  
"Oh, be quiet, Takumi," Hinoka chided him. "This is Corrin we're talking about. He's too sweet and nice."

"And you're the one who has a _crush_ on him," the archer snapped back. "You're hardly one to talk."

"Don't you _dare_ play the crush card on me!" The princess warned him irritably, her cheeks reddened. "Anyway, I got over that! He's probably courting Azura anyway, knowing those two….."

Ryoma nodded slowly. "Actually….Takumi has a point. We can't let anyone get out from under suspicion."

The archer smiled smugly, causing Hinoka to stare at her older brother in shock. "Are you serious?!"

"Anyone. Yeah, right," Takumi remarked, rolling his eyes. "You didn't even suspect Scarlet-"  
"She is _not_ my girlfriend and anyway she had nothing to do with it," Ryoma replied with a sharp glare. "And anyway it would be impractical to investigate her as she's currently in Cheve training the military. More to the point, we need someone to investigate Corrin. Someone to keep an eye on him."

At that, Kagerou and Saizou, leaning on a nearby pillar, looked up seemingly hopefully. Ryoma looked at them thoughtfully for a second, before looking over to….

"Kaze, yes." He snapped his fingers in realisation. "Of course, Corrin's best friend. He'd be an excellent spy, to make sure Corrin is not responsible for these shenanigans."

"I would be happy to do so, my lord." The green-clad ninja took a bow.

Takumi just looked at him as if he had told everyone to go strip off all their clothing and dance on the spot. "Seriously?!"

Ryoma frowned. "Kaze is a loyal friend to Corrin, and if anyone knows if he's behind these pranks, it's him. Are you doubting him?"  
"No….it's just….gah!" The archer threw his hands up in the air. "Am I the only sane man around here?!" He stormed off petulantly.

"….is he going to be okay?" Sakura inquired concernedly. The Hoshidan king closed his eyes, rubbing his temples.

"He'll be fine. I don't honestly know what's wrong with him…."

* * *

 **END**


	3. Corrin Reacts to Mary Sues!

**Corrin Reacts to Mary Sues!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! My, my, I'm loving the positive response to Corrin being the prankster in this story. I wanted to really play around with the formula, and, even if it ends up with me playing the formula straight eventually, I'll have the satisfaction of knowing that I tried my best. Well, anyway, the shenanigans begin in earnest now, so let us begin!**

 **And as for you guys waiting to find out the pairing, I'll be willing to tell you right now. It's [sound of chickens clucking] and [sound of foghorn blowing]. Yep! Best pairing in the game.**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise there would be more shield-like accessories in the game.**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"So…..this is that 'computer' thing you spoke about when you came back from the Outrealms," Azura looked at the sleek black laptop in Corrin's hands. He nodded.

"Yeah. Uh….I got this as a gift from a friend," he explained not entirely dishonestly. "Uh…..yeah."

Azura blinked, examining the device curiously. "….from how you described it, I expected it to be a little…..bigger."  
"This is the portable kind."

"Ah." The songstress nodded slowly. "I see. And….what do you plan to do with this?"

"Well, I'm going to use it to copy over my records and documents, firstly, so I have a copy safe from being, well, accidentally destroyed by Felicia," Corrin explained. Azura looked surprised again.

"You can do that? With this? How?"  
"It'll take me a few hours, but I think I can do it. I just have to use this thing here," he said as he gestured to the keyboard. "This thing here allows me to put in text, like writing. Each button represents a single character."

The songstress looked pensive. "To think the people of the Outrealms have advanced to not even need paper, ink or quills…."

"Only a few. Not all of them. There's actually a few quite like this one," Corrin reminded her. "Aaaaand…..I just realised I'm going to be spending the next few hours sitting at this desk doing nothing but staring at a screen. Well then. Wanna read a fanfic with me?"

The songstress cocked an eyebrow. "Those stories that our admirers write about us? I'm curious myself, actually, as to what those are like."  
Corrin looked somewhat irked. "Heheh…..well…they say there's a rule."

"What rule?"  
"Ninety percent of all things are total and utterly terrible."

Azura shrugged. "So no different from here, then."

"…..you can be _seriously_ brutal when you want to be, you know that? Not that I'm complaining. I'd rather you were."

"And I would not have it any other way," the songstress replied calmly. "After all, sometimes the harshest critics can be the best, and I would prefer to take some dislike if it means I can help you. Unnecessary harshness is foolish, admittedly."

"…..well, that got deep." Corrin chuckled good-naturedly. "So, here we are! These are the stories about us!"

"…..they misspelled my name."

"…..uh….that's what they call you in this place called Japan. They call you Aqua there. It's a little like Hoshido."

Azura nodded, accepting this explanation. "I see. _That_ misspelling, however, is inexcusable."

"…..how in the name of the gods do you spell Azura as 'Auzea'?" Corrin remarked confusedly, scratching his head. "Wait…what's this?"  
"….'Love in snow'. That title doesn't fill me with confidence," the prince remarked. "….. _hoo_ boy. Flora and an OC. Great."

"An oh-see?" Azura looked at him curiously.

"Original character. Now and again, our fans like putting original characters of their own in stories about us. Sometimes, they're pretty good," Corrin explained. "Other times….."

"They are irredeemably terrible."

The prince suppressed a snort. "…yes. I was going to put it in a _slightly_ nicer way, but yes." Azura smiled softly, shaking her head.

"And you treat my….what was it, 'brutality' as a bad thing. It clearly makes _you_ laugh."  
"Yeah, but when you do it, it's a little funny. Even if you're doing it to me."

"Perhaps I should take up a job as one of those bawdy minstrels then, travelling the land and plying my trade with my silver tongue," Azura remarked drily, eliciting another snort from Corrin.

"You should joke more. It suits you. Anyway…alright, let's read this, see what kind of work we're looking at here." Corrin clicked the link. Nothing could've prepared him for what was beyond the link.

"Oh gods, it's worse than I thought."

The fic was about a royal relative of Corrin's, seemingly falling deeply in love with Flora, and she for him, and the advertised question of whether they would end up together 'before it was too late'. In the hands of a more skilled author, perhaps the story might've ended up convincing. However…..

"…..I am _not_ sure, but I am _very_ sure it would be _unlikely_ that anyone would be Hoshidan and Nohrian royalty at the same time, given that the only two such individuals are you and I," Azura pointed out. Corrin simply pinched the bridge of his nose.

"And he even gave 'em Ryoma and Xander's swords. These guys just keep on getting even _more_ blatant about it, don't they? And what kind of Hoshidan name is _Michael_? And he's supposed to be _my_ brother?" The prince felt his eyelid twitch. "What kind of _monstrosity_ is this?!"

Azura looked uncharacteristically irritated. "That doesn't seem to be the end of it, either. The writer also seems to be incapable of spelling correctly."  
"Oh, no, Kamui is what they call _me_ in Japan, but the rest…..come on, seriously, the site spells 'Flora' right for you!" Corrin snapped exasperatedly. "How can you misspell that?! Flroa? Lrofa? How!? And more to the point, she _wouldn't_ just fall for you like that!"

"Are you sure you're not saying that because you're rooting for her and Jakob?" Azura offered up helpfully. Corrin shook his head.

"No, there's a difference. She more or less fell for him over a _cup of tea_. That's not how it works!"

Azura sighed. "I was teasing, Corrin. You seem to be taking this more seriously than I am." She smiled again, as the prince sighed.

"Dammit, Azura, you caught me out. Yeah, you're right, I shouldn't be taking this so seriously." He breathed in deeply, closing the laptop lightly. "Alright, and-"

Suddenly, Felicia burst into the room, breathing heavily and rapidly. "We've got trouble!"

' _Déjà vu much?_ ' Corrin mused to himself before turning around to look at her. "Yes?"  
"Uhm….C-Corrin, it's…..better if you have a look. I need to grab my knives, I think I misplaced them…." The maid looked down guiltily.

Azura raised an eyebrow. "Trouble?"

* * *

 _Minutes earlier…._

"At long last…..I have returned."

Michael of Hoshido, destined wielder of Siegfried and Raijinto with both swords sheathed behind him, secret brother to Corrin, inheritor of the throne of Valla, and the other transforming half-dragon with a rainbow-colored dragonstone on a necklace around his neck, stepped into Fort Corrin. He sighed, holding up a photo of his beloved Flora, sighing deeply.

"Soon, my love, we will be together again," he uttered, before stepping into the palace itself, looking around.

He had one goal; to take his beloved ice maiden away from the people who didn't understand her and whisk her away to his magical palace, protected by the gods of the rainbows.

But first, he needed to wipe out his competition. That accursed butler, Jakob, who was competing for her love. He had to go. And luckily for him, Jakob was right there, sweeping the floor of the palace with a broom.

"YOU!" The false prince roared, causing Jakob to look up.

"Yes-" The butler paused, before ducking to avoid a burst of shadows from the false Siegfried. Almost immediately, Jakob had his knife in hand, frowning at the intruder as he looked at the dent in the opposing wall.

"My…..I had just cleaned that wall! The _nerve_! I had even assumed he was Lord Corrin for a second…."

"You are _always_ mistreating Flora! No more! You pay!" Michael hissed, before charging at Jakob angrily.

The butler scoffed before sidestepping his initial slash with the false Raijinto, casually parrying the false Siegfried with his kunai- a birthday gift from Kaze himself- and returning the favour with a swift kick to the groin, causing his opponent to crumple in pain, clutching the wounded area.

"Tch-!" The false prince groaned. "D-Dishonorable! As expected!"

"Give it up, dear boy, I can make tea and murder," Jakob remarked smugly, twirling his kunai in his hand. "Either vacate these premises and I will allow you to leave with your life, or continue your attempts to harm me and I will cut you down before my master has to get down here to do so himself."

"As you _insist_!" Michael roared before he warped his hand into a dragon claw with the power of the Dragon Fang, attempting to smash Jakob into the nearby wall. The butler rolled away from it, grunting as the force of the attack cracked the wall behind him.

"My…..I thought only Lord Corrin...knew such a trick….." He uttered, wiping the dust off of his face.

"I am Corrin's brother and don't you _dare_ treat him like that! Get up!"

' _Corrin's brother?'_ Jakob looked confused. _'…he's never spoken of this man before, and I am sure I would've coached him in manners myself if I did….perhaps he is some sort of imposter?'_

Meanwhile, Felicia watched the whole exchange from the corridor leading to the entrance hall.

"I-I've got to help him! He's going to get hurt…." Felicia cried in panic, fumbling for her own weapons before realising they weren't on her, but left in her room, next to her bed. She blanched.

"Oh no…..we've really _got_ trouble now…I-I'd better get Corrin! H-he can do something about this!"

…..

Corrin had the Omega Yato in his hands as he followed Felicia, now armed with a knife, and Azura carrying her naginata down the stairs towards the hall.

"….you said he was wielding both Siegfried _and_ Raijinto?" The prince clarified, to which Felicia responded with a nod.

"Y-yes, he was. He also had weird dragon powers! Like yours!"

"…you don't think we brought him here by reading that fanfic, do you?" Azura inquired, a tone of concern in her voice. Corrin shook his head.

"No, that laptop's not magical, as far as I know. Nonetheless, this situation feels like it's happened before….many times."

Just then, Jakob ran past them, before stopping to stare at Corrin. He didn't even look bothered.

"Ah! Lord Corrin! I was about to inform you that you have a….rather uncouth visitor," the butler declared but Corrin shook his head.

"Yes. We know. Where are you going?"

"To ensure that Flora is warned about him, of course. Of course, I will acco-" He was waved off by Corrin. "I can handle him, just make sure Flora's fine."

"F-Flora! W-what does he want with her?!" Felicia inquired worriedly, to which Jakob responded with a sigh.

"It seems that he has deluded himself into believing that Flora is his beloved fiancée."

"…..just like the story. _Perfect_." Corrin closed his eyes for a moment, sighing exasperatedly. "Well, come on, let's go."

"Story?" Jakob inquired, but the other three had already left to walk into the entry hall.

…..

Michael grumbled as Jakob fled.  
"Tch! Coward!" He yelled. "How dare you flee? Well…..it doesn't matter….now I can…ah."

He saw Flora walk into the hall, looking around curiously. The false prince felt his heart soar at the sight of his beloved.

"…my love!" Michael declared, as Flora turned over to him, blinking.

"For a moment, I mistook you for my liege. Are you responsible for this mess?"  
"D-don't you recognise me? It's me!" The false prince waved his swords about. "…..h-have they changed you? They have taken you away from me!" He raised his swords.

Flora stepped back slowly, looking more and more unnerved, reaching for her knife. "What are you-"  
"I must beat sense back into yo-UGH!" He was suddenly rammed out of the way by a roaring Corrin, the latter's arm transformed into a dragon-scaled limb. The false prince was thrown across the room, and Corrin seethed as he glared down at the pretender. Flora turned to him.

"Corrin! I'm grateful for the intervention, but…do you know what's going on?" The maid seemed confused. Corrin closed his eyes, sighing.

"Flora, please, it will be fine. Just go take a break, take a walk or do whatever. I will handle him myself."

"…..alright." The maid bowed to him before running off, leaving Felicia and Azura staring as Corrin strolled towards the fallen pretender. Corrin raised his opponent by the collar, glaring at him and turning him to face the opposite wall.

"B-brother, I thought we-"  
"I am _not_ your brother, and you are _not_ in your home realm right now!" Corrin replied snappily. "Moreover, if I ever catch you harassing my friends again, I will teach you that, I may not go around flaunting it, but I _slew a dragon-god_ with nothing more than a magical sword and my wits. If you seriously, _honestly_ want to piss me off, doing that is the _best_ possible way around it."

Felicia shuddered slightly. "I've never seen him this angry, not since the war….."

"He's not the type to get angry," Azura remarked. "However…if someone _does_ push his buttons, so to speak, it would be unlucky for the object of his anger."

"….b-brother…." Michael blinked. "They've got you too? No, I must-"  
"Kaze, now!" Corrin suddenly yelled, as a dart stuck itself in Michael's neck. The false prince slurred a half-hearted "What?" before falling into unconsciousness, allowing Corrin to drop him. The green-clad ninja sighed, putting down the blowgun in his hand.

"I must admit, you have really good concoctions, Mozu," Kaze smiled at the villager girl next to him, who simply returned the gesture.

"I-It's a really useful concoction, that one. We used it to let people sleep at night when they found it hard t-to sleep."

Azura ran over and crouched by the slumbering invader's body. "…what now?"  
"We dump him by the portal and boot him out. I'm not having a Sue mess up my place," the prince seemed disgusted, before he turned to Kaze. "Good to see you came back just in time, and put that mixture of Mozu's to good use. Did you find out anything from Hoshido?"

"Lord Ryoma said that he wants me to be his spy on you, to ensure you aren't responsible for being the perpetrator of the antics."

"Did you say anything?"

Kaze frowned. "I would hardly be a good friend if I simply ratted you out, Corrin. I do think Takumi suspects you, though."

"…well, he's right, at least, I can't really fault him." The prince shrugged, not really bothered. "So…..I guess you just need to tell Ryoma I'm not the guy."

The green-clad ninja closed his eyes. "And if he thinks I'm lying?"  
"Then he'll probably send Saizou and Kagerou after me and I'm probably a dead man, which is why I hope you're good at lying."

"You can count on me," Kaze reassured him, before turning to Mozu. "Come, you have to teach me other concoctions of yours."

"W-what? Really? You want to know?"

Azura looked up at Corrin. "…..what now?"  
"…I am going to go type those documents up now," he sighed, sheathing the Yato. "Before something else happens."

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Windmire….._

"….so…..you want to volunteer for this cash prize." Xander looked up at Beruka, whose cold, calm face betrayed no emotion.

"Lady Camilla suggested that I should get out of the castle more instead of staying around and waiting for orders," the assassin explained. "So she told me that I should assist you in your hunt for, as you called it, the Tome of Smut and Filth."

"Yes, precisely." The Nohrian king nodded in agreement. "I assume you're going alone?"  
"It will take me some time to make preparations, but rest assured, I will locate the responsible party and return them to you."

"Alive?"

"…yes, alive." Beruka nodded after a few moments.

Xander sighed, seemingly relieved. "Splendid. Now we can ensure that any uncouth rumours about myself and Charlotte do not _leave_ Fort Corrin."

"…uncouth rumours, hm?" Niles mused, hiding behind a nearby pillar as he wrote a few notes down into a small pad in his hands. "…..my, my. This'll be _juicy_. Corrin's going to want to know this, almost certainly."

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Well, well. Who'da thunk it, Niles is working with the Order too. Anyway, next chapter, Corrin Reacts to Yanderes, which, as there is no Rhajat, means Camilla. Woo. So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, reviews, thoughts and suggestions, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	4. Corrin Reacts to Yanderes!

**Corrin Reacts to Yanderes!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Well, last chapter was a thing. Now for this one! Oh, and enjoy this update spree while it lasts, as my free time is about to get absolutely taken up by things! Also, expect more legit fanfic to show up; currently, there aren't that many fics (I'm surprised, considering you guys had a whole year and I know some of you got the fan translation before the official one) for Fates and so I'm holding out for a few good ones. I have my eye on some, but not many. Anyway, let's get on with this!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise Flora would have more supports (I know I'd totally ship her with Xander).**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Why do you want to know this, Lord Corrin?" Jakob inquired as he calmly dusted off a plate of porcelain, as Corrin stood next to him, sipping a cup of tea of the prince's own make.

"Well, I figured I'd ask. You never seemed interested in anything much apart from being my servant," the prince mused. "You should live a little, you know? I need to be more independent."

"Lord Corrin, I assure you, I do _not_ need a girlfriend," Jakob remarked calmly. "I am perfectly content being your servant. Asking me about my 'type' is irrelevant."

"Even the most loyal servants have to take a break sometime," Corrin pointed out. "It's just healthy."

"Yes, well…..perhaps said loyal servants don't want to take a break," the butler replied hastily. "You do not question Flora when she doesn't, do you?"

Corrin sighed, shaking his head. "Actually, I pester her more than I pester you. Felicia actually knows how to take breaks, I was hoping she'd teach you two. Seriously, I lived in the Outrealms, by myself, cooking food, making my own meals and cleaning myself up, for months."

"And that must have been dreadful!" The butler cried unironically. "I am here to ensure that you need not trouble yourself with such things!"

Corrin smirked mischievously. "You sure? Like….you don't have a crush on Azura or something, and you're only using me as an excuse?"  
Jakob paused briefly, before he took a cup and poured himself some of Corrin's tea, taking a sip. "…..my, my. You did learn how to make a cup of tea."

"See? You can learn to take a break! I don't need you to babysit me."

Jakob sighed. "Lord Corrin, I am aware of your mischievous proclivities. If this is part of one of your pranks, I will assure you it does not work. Besides, you and Lady Azura would hardly survive without me ensuring that Felicia doesn't accidentally burn down the kitchen again."

"In her defence, she only did it _once_ ….." Corrin pointed out, but Jakob shook his head.

"No, it will not do! Why, I suppose you expect me to say at this point that I have a thing for Lady Azura, as you call it, or start stuttering at her very sight!" Jakob scoffed, walking off while cleaning a porcelain cup.

Azura tutted as she walked up to Corrin. "My, my, Corrin, how direct."

"Well, that makes my job a little harder," the prince admitted when Jakob was out of earshot. "I was trying to figure out what kind of tips I should give Flora about getting his attention. I'll have to try more….subversive ways of figuring out his taste in women."

"And what about all those mentions of me? Are you getting tired of me, Corrin?" Azura teased, smirking. "I always thought mysterious, blue-haired women were your type."

Corrin chuckled. "Again with the joking side of you, which is always nice. Don't joke about such things, or I may just take you up on it."

"Oh my," the songstress remarked with a chuckle. "How bad would THAT be, I wonder…"

"Hey, Kaze," Corrin called as the green-clad ninja walked towards them. Kaze smiled.

"Hello, Corrin. Do you need something?"

The prince looked sheepish. "I need you to help me with something. If you could, err…search Jakob's room, that would be conducive to getting him to hook up with Flora."

Kaze raised an eyebrow curiously. "Oh? Why?"

"I need to know what he likes in a woman so I can give Flora tips on how to-"

"Give me tips, Corrin? For what?"

"Flora!" Corrin laughed as he turned to face the ice maiden. "Hey! I was just, uh, asking Kaze here about what tips he had for you on about asking Jakob out, seeing as he's quite a hit with the ladies."

"I am?" Kaze looked confused. Corrin gave him a sharp glare that immediately silenced him.

Azura shook her head, sighing. "Well, this should be interesting."

"Ah," Flora nodded, a light dusting of red on her cheeks as she processed the name of her crush. "I see. Thank you, Corrin. I appreciate your assistance. Kaze, Azura, you will not say anything to Jakob about this, yes? It would be…e-embarrassing."

Both the ninja and the songstress shook their heads, and Flora sighed in relief.

"Thank you very much. If you would excuse me, I must get to sorting your sheets. Oh, and um….you have some dust on your face, let me just get that for you….." The maid produced a handkerchief and wiped off a smudge on Corrin's cheek, tilting her head to check for more. "Good. Until later, Corrin."

With that, the three were left alone once more. Azura sighed.

"I still don't know where you became so audacious," the songstress remarked. Corrin shrugged.

"You learn quickly in the outside world.

"…I'm a hit with the ladies?" Kaze looked utterly confused still, prompting the prince to pass him a stack of love letters. In his hands, they reached above his head, a single envelope sliding onto Kaze's green hair.

"I had these letters directed to me instead of you. They were starting to clog up your place," the prince explained. "I didn't open any of 'em, not that there's anything important except them begging to have your children."

"That would explain why those women in the market seemed depressed when they saw Mozu go radish shopping with me…." The ninja looked down, thinking carefully.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Windmire….._

"My, my…so the prankster responsible for that incident with the underwear has returned….." Camilla sighed breathily as Beruka and Selena stood in front of her, nodding. "And Selena, you say that they're working with a friend of yours from your…..home kingdom?"  
"I wouldn't call her a friend," Selena remarked irritably. "She's my godmother. A huge pervert. If you ever see someone calling themselves 'Reflet'…."

Beruka remained calm. "I do not understand the appeal of these 'antics', as they're called. Why would someone waste so much time on something so pointless?"

Camilla chuckled. "Well, Beruka, my dear, you clearly have yet to try one. However…nonetheless, we have to do something about this prankster. Heavens knows what could happen if he uses magic to strip us all to our smallclothes…."

"Oh, of _course_ that's what you think of first!" Selena snapped. "Well…..what do you need us for?"

"I…..would like you two to assist in this investigation," the princess explained. "Beruka here has already gone to assist Xander with finding the prankster, and you, Selena, are to assist the Hoshidans in their investigation should they request any. I want to see if the prankster is one of them."

"And what about you?" the pigtailed girl asked. "What're you going to do?"  
"I am going to ensure that…..he does not touch my dear Corrin." Camilla smiled at the thought of the prince, chuckling to herself. "After all…he is mine to protect, is he not?"

' _I am getting Tharja flashbacks. This is Ylisse all over again….'_ Selena thought to herself, groaning. Camilla was ignorant of her subordinate's irritation and simply sighed happily.

"Yes….." She laughed quietly. "…..I will just have to protect dear Corrin myself. Make sure nobody gets to him and keep him safe from the devious prankster going after us all….."

Beruka raised her finger. "Lady Camilla, you sound weird. Is there something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing! You two should go!" The princess shooed them out. "Go!"

Selena stayed there for a few seconds, shaking her head, before walking out behind her partner.

The moment everyone was gone, Camilla smiled to herself deviously.

"And I have _just_ the thing to protect Corrin too. After all….I'll kill anyone who tries to touch him." The princess sighed, before catching herself. "But of course, dear Corrin would disapprove…..I'll just have to find a different way of punishing them."

She turned to a small chest in her room, strolling over to pull out her implements for the task she was about to pull.

….

 _Two hours later…._

"Go fish!" Elise chirped happily as she held her cards in front of her, three books of cards already in front of her. Flora sighed, taking a card from the pile and adding to her hand. The maid turned to Azura.

"Lady Azura, do you have any fives?"

The songstress handed over the Five of Diamonds to Flora. "This is a rather fun game."

"I shouldn't be so distracted, honestly. Corrin would be disappointed….."Flora remarked, sighing.

Elise smiled at her. "Oh, don't be so worried about it! Big bro would want you to take more breaks! He's always worrying about how you work too much! Besides, I've _always_ wanted to play with you, you always seem so lonely!"

"Come on, Flora, even for a moment, just don't focus on working and rest," Azura replied. "Corrin wants more independence around the fortress, after all."

"…I'm just concerned I'll be of….no use to him, if I'm not the best servant I can be…." The maid confessed, as the room took on a literally chillier air. Elise shook her head vigorously, trying not to shiver.

"D-don't worry, C-Corrin will always w-want you around! H-He's always h-happy to have his friends around! E-Especially you! A-and Kaze, and Azura, and Silas and….g-good gods it's cooooold!" The young princess cried while rubbing her arms to produce heat. Flora's eyes widened before she breathed in and out in a regulated manner, trying to calm herself down to let Elise retain her warmth. As the room returned to normal, the young princess sighed in relief.

"T-thanks!"

Azura closed her eyes, sighing. "Sometime, Flora, either you're going to take a break, Corrin's going to insist, or Elise is going to drag you out for a break. Honestly."

"I'm just….I want to repay his kindness. You can understand, right?" Flora explained. "He…..well, you all remember the war, right?"

Elise was about to interject before Jakob burst in, looking distressed.

"I cannot find Lord Corrin _anywhere_!" The butler cried, panicking. "He's gone!"

Flora and Azura stood up immediately, followed by Elise, who was still shivering. "What happened?"

"I came up to make some tea, to thank him for the kettle he made for me earlier and I couldn't find him! All I found was some strange metal contraption that looked like a book turned on its side!" Jakob explained, breathing in to calm himself.

"So you found his laptop," Flora calmly stated, before turning to the younger princess. "Alright. Elise, stay here, we're going to look for your brother."

"Awww, but I want to go look for him!" Elise complained, pouting as she crossed her arms. "Also what's a laptop?"

Azura looked at Jakob. "And he left nothing to signal where he might've gone? No letter?"

"Absolutely no sign, Lady Azura."

' _So it's not Order business,'_ the songstress concluded, taking everything into account. _'….so he's been kidnapped. By who? Or is this an antic of some sort?'_

* * *

 _Meanwhile….._

"….ugh…." Corrin shook his head after the sack was taken off of his head. He was tied to a chair, without his Omega Yato, and face to face with Camilla, who was smiling at him.

"Hello, dear~"

The prince blinked blearily. "…..Camilla? What are you-oh, perfect." He groaned in exasperation as he tried to move his arm, only to realise it was trapped in rope. "I'm tied to a chair in a cell. Well, this isn't new, not after that time Niles accidentally jailed me. Why are you doing this?"

"I figured that this mysterious prankster would target you, in order to get to someone else, like our dear brother Xander," the dragon rider explained. "So I got to you first. I don't trust your servants to protect you, so I decided to take matters into my own hands."

Corrin closed his eyes, sighing. "Camilla, we talked about this. No possessive tendencies. Jakob, Flora and Felicia are _perfectly_ capable of protecting me. As is Kaze. And Azura and Elise live here."

"But they can only protect you from an assassin! What about a devious, perverted prankster?" Camilla frowned. "And of course I will not let my dear brother's purity be corrupted. That cannot be allowed."

' _Oh, great. So she thinks I'm going after myself. Well, THIS is also familiar….'_ the prince thought, without lending his voice to it.

Camilla smiled. "So I decided that I shall wait for him to come to you! And when he tries to find you, I shall make sure his pranking is put to an end."

Corrin sighed, shaking his head. "You know I can handle my-Mmph!"  
"Ah, yes! I remembered that you were always a fan of ice cream, so I brought some, all the way from home!" Camilla cheerily remarked as she spoon-fed a scoop of caramel ice cream into his mouth, holding a tub in her hand. "Oh, you were saying something? Don't worry, my dear, we have all the time in the world. I made sure that we would be in a place that nobody would ever find us!"

….

"…..so that's how we're going to find him?" Flora tilted her head as Azura fumbled with a strange, rectangular device, a small blip representing Corrin pulsing gently on the screen. The songstress nodded.

"This device is a tracking mechanism that Corrin received from a friend in the Outrealms," Azura explained, careful to leave out that the device was Order tech, gifted by Corrin's mysterious supplier. "It allows us to detect where Corrin is at all times, as long as he holds on to a beacon. At least Corrin's still in the fortress, so we can automatically assume this was just a prank of some sort."

Flora raised an eyebrow. "And this isn't magical at all?"  
"Not that I know of, although I doubt even Corrin would be able to explain how it works, and he's lived in the Outrealms."

"First this laptop and now this….." The maid sighed. "I'm somewhat envious of the fact he's gone to such places, personally."

Azura chuckled. "Maybe you should ask him. He'd probably take you."  
"No, I couldn't," Flora shook her head. "I…..would hardly rate so high in his eyes to make him want to."

"You say that like he doesn't consider you a close friend," the songstress remarked. "Well, if you knew what he wanted to do for you, perhaps you'd change your mind."

"…wait…there's a split in the corridor in front of us," Flora pointed out. "…where does the tracking device say Corrin is?"

Azura tilted her head. "….no clue. It says he's ahead of us, but not where. Shall we split up?"

"I'll take the left," Flora declared as she ran down the left split, leaving Azura to take the right.

* * *

"….alright…..I'll give you that I missed that….but dammit, Camilla, I can handle myself." Corrin sighed as Camilla dabbed a bit of ice cream off of his cheeks. She smiled lustfully.

"Oh, _Corrin_ ~ If only you knew~"

"…..huh?"

"I am _never_ letting you go, dear~ Not when I have you _all_ to myself." The dragon rider laughed sultrily. "After all….I've been _waiting_ to have you all to myself….."

' _Great. This is the prison incident all over again.'_ Corrin sighed.

Camilla smiled wickedly. "And I'll prove how much I love you by catching this mysterious prankster and protecting you~"

Corrin nodded. "Sure. Alright. So…..how am I meant to relieve myself?"

"I'll escort you to the chamberpot and make sure nobody gets at you, of course!"

The prince, of course, was distracting Camilla from several things with his asinine question.

Firstly, the beeping red tracker beacon in his hands, guiding Azura to his location. He used his fingers to block out the red light, making sure to protect it from being seen.

Secondly, the fact that he was undoing the knot of the rope already, holding the ropes taut with his hand. This knot was one he was familiar with from the Beach Party Incident, one which he had practiced endlessly prior. He tried to suppress a smile, trying not to let on what he was doing.

"Alright…..well….always nice to know my sister's protecting me," Corrin mused, chuckling. Camilla smiled.

"But…..what if I wanted to be more than that? After all…..we are hardly related~"

"…..my, my. You're flirting with me?" Corrin raised an eyebrow. Camilla giggled.

"Why, of course, my dear. Now that I have you to myself, I can…..test the waters, so to speak."

The prince shrugged. "Well, Azura did always say I was weak to mysterious blue-haired girls."

"Then I will dye my hair blue, if that will make you happy, dear. Well…..I've always wanted to do this, anyway…just to know what it feels like….."  
"Do what?" Corrin inquired innocently, before Camilla closed her eyes, slowly leaning in for a kiss.

' _Sorry, sister dear_ _, but I have plans for you, Camilla, and this isn't part of it.'_

Corrin slowly lifted one hand out of the ropes that were newly undone, using the hand the beacon was in to keep it taut. He deftly pulled out a small Order device, a small black square with a speaker from his sleeve; this device acted as a sort of decoy, simulating the sound of distant footsteps or whatever sound was programmed onto it.

He slid it across the floor towards the front of the cell, causing the sound of footsteps to start echoing down the corridor. Camilla stood up, looking around akin to a bloodhound looking for a scent.

"Ah, the prankster must be here! Now, to take him down! Stay here, Corrin, I'll handle it."

The dragon rider ran out of the cell, axe at hand, leaving the prince alone as she locked the door behind her. When he was sure Camilla wouldn't hear him, he dropped the ropes from his hands, standing up and dusting his hands off.

"Excellent, excellent." He chuckled mischievously. "Good to know my practice didn't go to waste. Alright…."

He stole towards the door, checking the lock. "…dammit, it's a really complex one. All that practice with Niles learning how to pick a lock from the inside's not going to help…..maybe if I can use my Dragon Fang and-"

Suddenly, the lock was sliced open by a kunai, slicing the lock open and allowing the door to swing open. Corrin looked up to see Flora, frowning.

"Corrin, are you alright? Are you hurt?" She examined his face carefully. "Who kidnapped you?"  
"My lovely sister Camilla has got it into her head that the prankster my siblings in Hoshido and Nohr is trying to get to me and used it as an excuse to try to make out with me," the prince explained. "Where's Azura?"

"There was a split in the path up here, and she took the other one," Flora replied. "….where is your sister now?"

"I distracted her with a little trick up my sleeve and broke out," Corrin explained with a smirk. "Let's get out of here before she-"

"YOU!" Camilla boomed as she stood before Flora and Corrin. "So you have been trying to kidnap my beloved brother!"

"…..no, I have not, Lady Camilla," the maid calmly responded. "I was just heading down here-"

"How did you know I was down here?"  
"I was following the prankster."

Camilla's eyes widened. "The prankster?! Where is he?"

"He broke Corrin free and attempted to get him away, but I managed to chase him off. I'm not sure where he went. Perhaps he went some other way." The maid's calm face belied any sign that she was lying. Camilla huffed.

"Well, I'll just have to find him myself. Make sure he gets out of here safely!"

With that, she ran down the corridor, sounding more frustrated with herself than anything. Corrin stared at Flora.

"….you just straight-up lied."

"….i-it was to make sure we were able to leave…." The maid looked down guiltily. "It won't-"  
"I'm impressed," the prince remarked, smiling. "Thanks. I owe you one. Not that I didn't already, I probably owe you more."

Flora's eyes widened. "….t-thank you! I didn't think it was that good…."

"Let's get out before she comes back, yeah?" Corrin warned, offering her his hand. "If we stay, she'll think we lied and then we'll _both_ get tied up."

The maid took his hand, and both of them made for the exit.

….

Azura sighed as she waited by the exit of the corridor, looking at the beacon.

"So I picked the wrong path….." the songstress sighed. "Well, it's not bad, I suppose."

Flora and Corrin suddenly ran out the opposite path. Azura suddenly looked up.

"Did you-"  
"Let's go before she realises something's up, yeah?" Corrin signalled to her, running away from the corridor. Azura took one moment to think, before running behind the pair.

Needless to say, Camilla never realised Flora lied to her.

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: So Camilla kidnapped Corrin, but Corrin busted himself out and Flora got around to saving him. Woo! So, next chapter, Super Smash Bros 4!**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, reviews, thoughts and suggestions, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	5. Corrin Reacts to Super Smash Bros 4!

**Corrin Reacts to Super Smash Bros 4!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! My, my. I'm still trying to balance out stuff here, what with trying to get more stuff in with Flora and Elise (who I actually want to write more of, those two and Niles being my favourite Nohrian characters) and trying to develop Corrin's reputation as 'magnificent bastard extraordinaire'. Hopefully it works out; if not, well, at least we tried. Wish me luck, fellas! Also, time to get writing, lads!  
DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise Scarlet would have supports with Izana. (HAH!)**

 **Super Smash Brothers belongs to Nintendo. Also, disclaimer within a disclaimer: I am a bad player of Smash, so if I screw up describing the fights, I take full responsibility for being bad.**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Are you sure it's okay for me to be taking a break?" Flora inquired, frowning as Corrin walked in front of her, leading her to his office. "You know, I have chores to do, like-"  
"I've already cleaned the dishes, made the beds, replaced the curtains and cleaned up Felicia's mess in the entrance hall," Corrin responded, cutting her off. Flora stared at him, surprised.

"….truly?!" She said, catching herself as her voice rose a little too high.

"Yeah," the prince replied, shrugging I…..well, I thought you could use a break, so I did that. Now you have the rest of the day free."

The maid frowned. "You can't be overworking yourself for my sake, Corrin."

"It's not overworking if I had to do that for a few months, Flora. Besides, like I keep saying, I need to help you three out more," the prince reassured her. "One day, you'll work yourself sick, and then it won't do. And anyway, I need you for something."  
"For what?"  
"I've got to test something out, and I'm not sure if it even works, and I need at least one other person to help me with it."

Flora raised an eyebrow. "So why didn't you get Kaze, or Lady Azura? Or Lady Elise? Surely my sister would've been a better candidate than myself-"  
"Are you questioning me inviting you to have a break with me, Flora?" Corrin remarked, jokingly offended. "My, I thought we were friends! Woe is me, that hath lost thine friendship!"

Flora suppressed an amused snort, despite herself. "D-don't be so foolish. You'll look like Odin."

"Too Odin-like? Dammit, I thought I had you _there_ ," the prince sighed, defeated. "Next time. Anyway….."

They rounded the corner into Corrin's office, where his Antic Order laptop laid open on a strange screen and a brown box with four white devices inside lay next to it. Flora looked at the strange devices, pulling out one of them. "…..what are these supposed to be?"  
"Controllers. We're going to try playing a game today, see if this thing really _does_ work as advertised."

"A game?" The maid tilted her head, examining the controller closely. "…I don't think I can do much with this, unless these buttons are supposed to make something happen."

"You'll see in a minute," Corrin promised as he pulled out one himself, turning it on and pointing it at the laptop screen, pressing a button.

The screen changed, revealing a menu with several options. "Oh, wow, this laptop really _is_ something. I'm not even sure there's emulators that do this. What I'd give to get a hand on some of that Order tech…."

Flora blinked, trying to do the same with hers. "Huh? What? What is this?"

"No, there's these things in the Outrealms called 'video games', which you can play on devices like these," Corrin explained. "They're…..a lot more detailed than your average game here."  
"Ah," the maid looked curious. "…..I see. That's interesting, I suppose…do you wish to play a game with me, then? Is that why you invited me?"  
"Uh, yeah!" Corrin looked as if she'd stated the obvious. "I mean, if you don't want to, you can go. You've got the day off now, anyway, since I went and did all your stuff for you…"

"I suppose I could…." The maid tilted her head at the screen. "I….am not sure I'll be any good at this. Are you sure you want me to play with you? You don't want someone who might be better?"

"Relax, it'll be fine!" Corrin reassured her. "I'm pretty new to this stuff, if I'm honest."

"You mean you haven't actually played one of these before?"

"Well, I worked in what they call a 'coffee shop' in the Outrealms, to pay for where I was living," the prince explained. "I sold people coffee every day. Didn't have much time to play games."

"…..why didn't you explain you were royalty? Surely they would've gladly stepped aside…" Flora inquired. Corrin shrugged.

"They would've called me crazy aaaaand I wanted to try it out, working for myself. On the plus side, if I ever go back to the place, I have free coffee for _life_."

* * *

Flora tilted her head. "So this game is called Super Smash Brothers? What's the aim of the game?"  
"It's basically them pitting together a bunch of characters from other video games against each other in a fight," Corrin explained. Flora cocked an eyebrow.

"…..a fighting game?"  
"More or less, but it's pretty fun. I hear I'm in it, which is why I wanted to check it out. Well, that and it's pretty good."

"You're in this fighting game?" The maid asked, curious.

"Apparently," Corrin mused, shrugging. "We're all in a video game about our adventures together, but I'm not sure if I have it on this thing. People did complain about me being in this game, to which I gladly responded with a 'screw off, I'm too awesome, you're jealous' and a casual flick of the hair." He smirked smugly.

"That's rather prideful of you," Flora remarked, again suppressing an amused chuckle. "I didn't see you as the prideful type."

Corrin shrugged. "When people offend your pride, that's what you've gotta do. Now, shall we begin? Here's the set of characters you can choose from."

"…hm." Flora fumbled with the controller briefly, attempting to figure out how to move her cursor on the screen for a moment. "Ah, there we go! Alright….I shall pick Lucina. Did I say it right?"

"I think so, I've never played the game she's from," Corrin shrugged as, of course, he picked Corrin- female Corrin, to be precise. "Sounds like she should be familiar."

Suddenly, however, a pair of hands clamped themselves around the prince's eyes. "Guess who~?"

"Hey, Elise," Corrin responded without moving, smiling. Elise pouted as she moved her hands away from Corrin's eyes.

"Awww…why doesn't that work on anyone anymore? It always works on Felicia!"

"Maybe you need to keep quiet and THEN say it," Silas advised as he took a seat between Flora and Corrin, taking a moment to wave. "Hey."

The prince looked over at him. "Hey, Silas. Err….you guys want to join in? I want to try this out."  
"Oooh! What's this? Is it a souvenir from the Outrealms?" Elise chirped as she took one of the white controllers and sat down next to Corrin.

"It's a game and all four of us are fighting against each other. Uh….I dunno how to play, so I'm trying it out for the first time," the prince explained. "If you two wanna join in…"  
"Oh, yeah, partner!" Silas pumped his fist. "No way I'd miss out. It's been a while since we could hang out together like old times, Corrin. Maybe this'll be fun!"

Flora frowned. "If you want me to leave, Silas, I-"  
"Oh, what's a little extra company, am I right? Besides, a friend of Corrin's a friend of mine," the cavalier reassured her. "Come on, stay."

Elise nodded rigorously, putting on her best puppy-dog eyes and pouting lip. "Yeah, stay! Pleaaaaaaase? With a cherry on top?"

Flora closed her eyes, sighing. Even she was not immune to the pouting and pleading of the youngest princess. "I suppose. I will apologise for being no good at this in advance, though….."

Corrin clapped happily. "Excellent! You two pick your characters."

"I'll pick this Mario person, as soon as I figure out how to use this confangled device," Silas uttered, struggling with the controller. Elise, on the other hand, picked it up almost immediately.

"I want the pink ball guy! He looks cute!" She selected Kirby, locking in happily. "Yes! You're on, big bro! Let's make it a competition!"

"Loser has to buy everyone those _takoyaki_ things they sell in Hoshido!" Silas declared. "Man, I'm hungry for some, ever since Mozu showed me what those were. Hope I'm not it."

"Awww, what?!" The young princess frowned at him. "That's not fair! We should make Corrin buy those!"

Corrin smirked. "You're on, you two. And you, Flora?"

"I suppose I'll participate in this competition," the maid spoke up with a small smile. "Please don't blame me if I lose. I must confess, I was never one for games myself."

* * *

 _Minutes later…._

"Alright….." Corrin started as Battlefield came into view. "Let's hope we don't absolutely screw up our first game. Let's go! I've set it so we have five 'stocks', and we have to knock each other off the screen to take off these stocks. If you run out of stocks, you're out. That number next to your portraits represents how much damage you've got, and the more damage you've taken, the easier it is to throw you off! First one to run out of stocks buys the food!"

Elise giggled as her Kirby jumped up. "Ooh! I can fly! That's so cool! I love this one al-wait, wait! He's-WAH! He died! I thought he could fly forever! Noooooo!" She whimpered.

"Alright…..I think I have the hang of this," Silas cracked his knuckles. "Let's do this!"

His Mario chucked a fireball at Corrin, as Corrin dodged past the fireball, thrusting his sword into the plumber.

"Bah, what? You can do that?!"

Corrin chuckled as he unleashed a barrage of slashes and transformed dragon-limbs into Silas' Mario. "Oooh, they made me _strong_ in this game. Pretty cool how they incorporated my dragon powers into my character."

"That's not even fair!" Silas cried, mashing at his controller desperately, before Mario smacked Corrin around with his cape, turning him and allowing Silas to escape the next combo. The cavalier smiled triumphantly. "Oh, now _that's_ useful. I'll keep that one in mind."

"How can a cape even turn me around like that?" Corrin complained.

"Maybe it's magic!"

"I'm using dragon powers! _I'm_ magic!"

Elise, meanwhile, was still struggling with her controller. "Oh, I died _again_! Come on! Alright…..let's go!"

On-screen, Kirby attempted to swing his large wooden hammer into Corrin, only for Corrin to counter-attack by turning into a dragon and throwing Kirby upwards with a jet of water. Elise stared at the screen in shock.

"N-no fair! You can turn into a dragon in this too?!"

Corrin chuckled mischievously. "Come on, Elise, you can do a-HEY! Did your character just eat mine?!"

"Ahah!" The princess cried triumphantly. "I can eat all of you! Now, how do I swallow….."  
"WHAT?!" Silas stared in shock as Elise's Kirby strode around with an inflated body and Corrin within. "Oh, that's just not-"

Suddenly, Silas' Mario was knocked off stage by Flora's Lucina, surging in with a Shieldbreaker.

"Hm, so that's what that does," Flora noted to herself, studying the controller. "Alright, I think I can handle this. Forgive me, Corrin, but I must prove myself!"  
" _That's_ the spirit, Flor-WHAT?!" The prince stared in shock as the maid executed a perfect combo, keeping Corrin trapped within Lucina's Dancing Blade, before finishing off Corrin with a powerful smash, knocking him off the screen. "…you're _great_ at this!"

Flora looked down, embarrassed. "I'm not that good. It's beginner's luck."

"Aww, I lost!" Elise pouted, as Silas threw her character off screen, taking Kirby's last stock. "I want a rematch!"

Silas shrugged. "Sure, just as soon as I-wait, what?!"

Flora had already taken the cavalier's last stock as he was talking, leaving her, with four stocks and Corrin with one. The maid had already heavily damaged Corrin, with the latter being barely able to hit her back, executing all of one Counter Surge to barely damage her before Flora sent him flying with a final charged Shieldbreaker, ending the match with her victory.

"…..nicely done, Flora," Corrin congratulated her, smiling. "Good game."

"A-as I said, that was beginner's luck," the maid brushed off his compliment while looking down. "I am sure I won't do as well as I did just now twice."

"Rematch! Rematch!" Elise declared impatiently. "I don't wanna have to go buy it!"

Silas looked over to his friend. "Well? We shouldn't be unfair to your sister. And anyway, now I know what I'm doing, I can actually beat you."

"You're on, Silas," the prince replied confidently, before turning to Elise. "Sure, sis. Let's do this, one more time. Flora, you want to go up again?"  
"I'm not sure I will do as well as I did….." the maid admitted. "But I will say this has been quite fun. I may as well play again, if it's okay with you."

Corrin scoffed. "Why wouldn't it be? Alright, let's go!"

…..

"Alright! This time, I'm picking this Jigglypuff thing and beating all of you!" Elise boasted proudly, puffing her chest out. "Corrin's going to have to buy us all that battered squid thing!"  
"We should go as partners, and the losing team has to buy the food- that is, if it's possible to make teams on this game, " Silas suggested helpfully as he locked in Robin. "Corrin and I go together, and Elise and Flora go-"  
"Actually, I'm going with Flora and _you_ can go with Elise," the prince interjected. The cavalier frowned at Corrin's suggestion.

"What, you're ditching me?" he remarked, sounding only jokingly betrayed. "I thought we were friends!"  
Corrin smirked, locking in himself as he set the teams. "Hey, you two are acting all confident you'll beat me, maybe I should give myself a little challenge. Maybe you can make sure Elise doesn't die so much." He threw a teasing smirk at his younger sister, who crossed her arms and huffed.  
"I didn't die that much," Elise protested weakly. "I only…..walked off the stage three times…."

"Thank you, Corrin," the maid responded calmly, before nodding as she locked in Lucina again. "I won't fail you, I promise. Shall we fight together, then?"

The prince selected Final Destination as the stage, confirming his pick and waiting for the game to start. "…..alright. Wow, this stage looks good."

Silas didn't waste a second trying to learn his new character. On-screen, Robin began charging a Thoron burst, only for Flora to interrupt by slashing at him with her Lucina.

"Eh?!"

"Corrin, I'm covering your back," the maid calmly declared, as Corrin nodded to her.

"Thanks!" He swatted Elise's Jigglypuff out of the way as it attempted to use Rollout to knock into him by using a Counter Surge, throwing her up in the air once more.

"Oh, that's not even faaaaair!" The princess whined.

Corrin called over to Flora. "Behind you!"

"I have him!" The maid replied, as her Lucina delivered a strong smash to knock Silas' Robin off-screen. Silas blinked in surprise.

"I did _not_ see that one coming….."The cavalier remarked, before turning to Elise. "Hey, back me….Elise?"

"I already lost all of my stocks….." she uttered, looking utterly haunted. "…..I didn't know trying to defend yourself would send you flying that high….."

Silas blanched, before realising Corrin and Flora had him surrounded. His expression of exasperation turned to one of terror.

"Oh _come on_."

…..

Flora exhaled deeply. "We won that."  
"Only because you're actually _awesome_ at this!" Corrin complimented her. "Good gods, you just _destroyed_ them both!"  
"So that's why you picked her….." Silas shot him a suspicious look. Corrin shrugged.

"Nah, I thought it WAS beginner's luck before she basically annihilated you by herself."

Elise sighed. "…..now we have to go buy the battered squid. Meanies."

"Now, now….." Corrin shook his head, standing up as he collected the controllers and put them away. "How about we make a day out of it? Us four, maybe Azura and the others?"  
"….you would like me to come with you?" Flora stared at him. "Corrin, I am sure you'd rather spend your time with your actual friends."

The prince frowned. "Nonsense. You _are_ my friend and I'm _not_ about to let you forget that. Now come on, let's go."

He leaned in close enough to whisper. "If I bring Jakob, it might help you get closer to him, too."

Flora's eyes widened again, before she nodded. "…alright. That….sounds like a good idea."  
"Yay! Corrin's paying, right?" Elise inquired, with Silas looking hopeful. Corrin scoffed, smirking.

"As if. You two lost. You're paying."

"Meanie!" The princess declared, crossing her arms and pouting. Silas groaned.

"Dammit….I was hoping you'd spare us _that_."

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Well, well. Next chapter, Corrin Reacts to Matchmaking! Also, as to those wondering why Silas is somewhat out of character, I decided that I'd make him a little louder, as Kaze already occupied the role of 'quiet nice guy'. I decided he'd be a bit closer to the likes of Yosuke from Persona 4 (which won't help much as I've only watched the anime and played Persona Q), to be the louder best-friend type to contrast Kaze, similarly to how sarcastic Azura contrasts the mischievous Corrin. If you're not a fan of out-of-character portrayals of people, I do warn you that, for humour or other reasons, there's a lot of it in my fics, so be careful.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, suggestions, criticisms, comments, thoughts, reviews and suggestions, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	6. Corrin Reacts to Matchmaking!

**Corrin Reacts to Matchmaking!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Hoo boy, the Antic Order has their work cut out for 'em, don't they, what with their first opponent being Beruka of all people. Hm. How will they dispatch her, I wonder? Well, judging from the title of the chapter, you'll have a nice hint as to HOW Beruka's getting beaten. Anyway, let's get on with the chapter so I can do things!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise the Bath Towel would be the best defensive item in the game.**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

 _Castle Krakenburg, Nohr_

"My findings have led me to one conclusion," Beruka explained to Camilla, who tilted her head in curiosity.

"Oh? What is it?"

"The prankster's location," the assassin coolly responded. "I have used my contacts to attempt to discover where their base of operations is. Through my investigations, I have discovered that they are in one of two locations. They have either infiltrated Fort Corrin, or they are in this castle as we speak."

Camilla stood up, hefting her axe. "If he is daring to corrupt _my_ pure, innocent little brother, he may just have to _die._ "

"Allow me to handle this for you, Lady Camilla," Beruka replied. "I will capture this prankster for you. You don't need to inconvenience yourself. I will investigate Fort Corrin; Selena is already looking through the castle as we speak to ensure they aren't here but her search does seem to be inconclusive. I will allow myself one day to prepare."

The princess frowned, looking disappointed. "…..I still want to go after this prankster. If they ever corrupt _my_ Corrin…I don't know _what_ I'd do…."

The assassin made no move to reassure Camilla; she was uniquely terrible at such things, after all. Instead, she shifted uncomfortably in her armor, looking away just a fraction. "…..I will ensure they do not get to your little brother."

"Alright," Camilla nodded in response. "…good luck. Report back as soon as you're done."

Beruka gave her one last curt nod before exiting Camilla's room, completely oblivious to Odin leaning outside, casually reading a tome as if nothing was wrong with the world.

When he was sure she was out of earshot, the dark mage looked up, shutting his book.

"Hm! She plans to invade the Order base!" Odin remarked worriedly. "…I have to warn Corrin immediately! I must go swiftly as the northern winds! Love and justice _will_ prevail!"

….

 _Meanwhile, in Fort Corrin…._

"I say we should wait for Flora's birthday," Silas suggested. He and the other members of the Order were sat inside Corrin's office, with Corrin himself sitting astride a crate, rubbing his chin. The cavalier, satisfied he wouldn't be interrupted, continued. "That way, it'll be a special occasion. She'll be pretty happy with that, right?"

Felicia shook her head, disapproving of the idea. "N-no. Flora won't want to make a s-scene of it. She likes q-quiet birthdays. We need a d-different idea."  
"Well, we need some sort of occasion to set the right atmosphere," the prince replied. "After all, we need to make this _first_ date _just_ perfect for Flora and Jakob. If we can do that, we'll increase the chances that Jakob comes back for more and we'll have achieved our primary aim as the Order."

Azura shook her head. "It won't necessarily work out like that, you know. Atmosphere isn't the only element in a successful relationship."  
"Hey, if we can stack the deck in our favour, why not, huh?" Corrin answered. "Besides, this is a matter of paramount importance. Flora's been crushing on him for _years_ and he hasn't noticed yet. If nothing else, we should try to stack the deck in Flora's favour as much as we can!"

Kaze was leaning against the wall, thinking carefully. "…..have you considered that Jakob may have someone else in mind?"

"I highly doubt it," Corrin answered. "Jakob's not the type to lie about something like that. At least, not obviously lie. I'd give him kudos if he kept it from me, though, I've been pressing him for _years_."

Mozu frowned, thinking carefully. "Maybe we…..um…..we should ask Felicia what Flora likes in men? S-she's her sister, she would know more about her than all of us combined…."  
"This would be a lot easier if Gunter was still hanging around instead of climbing mountains in Hoshido," Corrin sighed, rubbing his temples. "He and Felicia know more about Flora than any of us. Alright, Felicia, what do you suggest? You have the floor."

Felicia was about to raise her finger to speak before Odin suddenly burst into the room, knocking her onto the floor.

"Oh!" The maid squealed, only for Kaze to catch her, having sprung across to keep her up. "T-thank you!"

"I'm sorry!" The dark mage yelled, breathing heavily. "But I have important news!"

Corrin looked up. "Oh?"  
"Beruka's on her way here! She's going to take a day off to prepare and then she wants to head to this fort and find you!"

Azura raised an eyebrow. "Well, sending an assassin this early? I thought they were dealing with a prankster, not a criminal."

"….well, we'll just have to defer this meeting some other time," the prince sighed. "Alright, Felicia, if you can get our personnel roster, it's right under my bed, next to you."

The maid pulled herself up with the ninja's help, muttering a quick "Thank you" again before crouching and pulling out a large, leatherbound tome and passing it to Corrin. The prince opened it, flicking through it to find Beruka's page.

"Ah, here we go," he uttered. "…and, of course, I have a plan to deal with her. This'll be our first _real_ test as the Antic Order. I'm going to need you all to follow exactly my orders."

He pointed to Felicia first. "Felicia, how much fondue do we have left over? Do we still have an entire ten barrels from the time Izana decided he'd stay over here?"

"U-uh….yes!" She nodded quickly. "Why?"  
"I'm going to need those," Corrin explained. "Also, I'm going to need a shovel and a few buckets. Mozu, I'm going to need some smoke bombs if you can make 'em."

"Smoke bombs? What for?"

"If I told you, the plan wouldn't work. Now can you make 'em or not?"

The villager thought carefully, frowning slightly as she nodded. "I'll t-try my best!"

The prince clapped. "Excellent. Silas, you're on Elise duty. Keep her occupied and out of the way. I dunno, head out to Hoshido and treat her to some of that _takoyaki_ stuff we had the other day or something."

"You got it, partner!" Silas gave him a thumbs up in response. Corrin turned to Kaze next.

"Kaze, I need you to go find Benny. You know where he lives nowadays, right? I need you to ask him if he wants to come over. Tell him Beruka's showing up."

The green-clad ninja stared at him for a moment before realising something. He nodded. "I'll do my best to find him."

Azura cocked an eyebrow, an amused smile growing across her face. "So several buckets, smoke bombs, a shovel, fondue and Benny. What kind of plan are you hatching?"  
"I'm going to have to dig into my other Order supplies," Corrin said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Beruka's not going to know what hit her."

"W-what about me, Corrin?" Odin said, practically bouncing in place with excitement. "What will you have me do? I can use my dark magical powers to-"  
"And you're hanging out with Elise and Silas. Don't need any explosions. Yet."

Odin seemed disappointed for a moment before perking up at the mention of the youngest Nohrian princess. "Alright! I shall give you both a day out worthy of LEGENDS! And we shall ride together as the Brotherhood of the Battered Squid!"

"…..oh dear." Silas sighed exasperatedly, already familiar with the dark mage's proclivities.

Finally, Azura spoke up. "And me, Corrin? Do you have anything in particular I need to do?"  
"You and I are going to hatch plans," the prince remarked, wringing his hands. "Well, I'm going to hatch a plan and you're going to tear it down and point out how stupid it is."

"It would be my pleasure," the songstress replied calmly. "It's always nice to be allowed to be myself."

Corrin looked around. "Well, Order, disperse! We have work to do and less than a day to do it! Move it, team!"

* * *

 _One day later….._

Beruka stepped into the entrance hall into the palace at Fort Corrin, her axe strapped to her back and a rope and burlap sack in hand. She scanned the area, looking around for any sign that the prankster she was pursuing had decided to trap her somehow.

"The target has not anticipated my arrival," the assassin muttered to nobody in particular. She calmly checked the nearby pillars for traps or tripwires; nothing. Beruka furrowed her eyebrows.

"…..hm. No traps at all," she noted, standing up and looking around to ensure nobody was around. Her eyes fell on Felicia, who was calmly sweeping the floor in the hall. The maid smiled and waved at her briefly, which Beruka returned with a small curt nod.

' _It's only Felicia. I doubt she would know anything about these traps; if anything, she would have triggered them herself by now,'_ the assassin reminded herself. _'…..time to keep moving.'_

She quickly moved out of the hall, looking around to ensure she wasn't being followed.

The moment Beruka was out of earshot, Felicia dropped her broom and immediately ran after Beruka, heading in the opposite direction towards Corrin's office.

…..

"Corrin!" Felicia uttered as she burst into the office, where the prince and Azura were looking at the former's laptop. "Beruka's here!"

Corrin pulled up a chair. "Alright, then let the chaos begin. Take a seat, Felicia, feel free to watch it with me."

"…..you're watching her?" The maid inquired curiously, as Corrin held up a small, black reflective button-shaped device.

"Button camera, really advanced stuff from the Outrealms," he explained. "I've attached a few to the walls of the palace while I was setting up yesterday. "I can keep an eye on her. These aren't magic, before you ask; I've connected them to this thing here, so I can keep watch on her constantly."

Felicia blinked, surprised. "W-wow! Um….that's cool! I think!"

"I think she's coming up to the first thing now," Azura remarked as the maid took a seat next to Corrin, peering at the laptop screen, where several camera feeds fed into the connection, showing various views of the palace.

…..

Beruka advanced down the corridor, looking around carefully. Her hand traced the wall, looking for any hidden doors or levers that she could push for hidden passages, or any traps she could trigger by accident.

"…he definitely doesn't know I'm coming, or he's trying to remain hidden from Corrin," the assassin remarked. "Otherwise, there would be-"  
"Help me."

Beruka looked around quickly, trying to find the source of the voice before finding that it came from right in front of her.

Benny was in front of her. The assassin wondered briefly why he was lying down, before realising he was perfectly upright. The knight was halfway submerged into the ground, in what seemed to be a pool of cheese fondue, covered up to his waist in the cheesy goodness. Benny seemed completely unbothered by being this submerged, as his expression was completely unchanged. He didn't even seem to be making any attempts to escape the fondue pit.

Even Beruka was stunned for a moment by the absurdity of this situation; not that her face belied any surprise. She was also happy to see him, too; she had grown friendly with the knight during the war, even if she rarely showed it.

"…..what are you doing there?"

"I fell," Benny replied. "I was walking and the floor gave way."

Beruka crouched, offering him her hand. "Do you require assistance?"

"Yes, if you can. My arms are trapped. I also think I broke my good luck charm."

The assassin placed her hands under Benny's shoulders, before pulling up; or rather, she attempted to pull him up, but, Benny being rather heavy, even Beruka found it hard to pull him out. "…you're heavy."

"I know."

"Can you push?"

"I am pushing."

The assassin looked around for something to help her pull the knight out. "…..do you need the armor?"

Benny's silence was an answer enough. Beruka shuffled over to the other side, slipping behind his armor and locating the latches that kept the knight inside them. Within seconds, she pushed them off, before sliding the chestplate, pauldrons and other pieces of armor off of Benny and into the fondue. Without the weight of the metal, it was relatively easier to pull him out of the fondue; even without the armor, Benny was still a rather large man.

Beruka grunted as she yanked him onto the carpet of the corridor they were in. "There we go."

"Thank you," Benny replied, pulling himself to his feet. He was only in his smallclothes now, allowing Beruka a nice look at his rather sculpted build and toned body.

She must've been staring for a few minutes longer than she'd intended, because she was interrupted by the knight clearing his throat. When the assassin looked up at him, she found that he was blushing furiously.

"Beruka. You're s-staring."

"I will stop." She cleared her throat, looking away and trying not to betray her embarrassment. "…do you wish to come with me?"  
"Where're you going?" the knight asked, looking around for something to cover himself with.

Beruka offered him her shawl, taking it off her neck and shoulders to pass it to him. She nearly dropped it into the fondue, still looking away from the knight. "I am attempting to locate the prankster that Lord Xander wants found and brought to him. He may have been responsible for what just happened to you."

"I don't think I want anything to do with him any longer….." Benny muttered. "…..but if you're going after him, I may as well lend a hand. And if we run into Corrin, I could ask him for clothes."

"I don't think anything of his will fit you."

"I know. Still."

….

"So that's your p-plan, dipping Benny in fondue?" Felicia stared at Corrin, who was watching the whole thing from his laptop. Azura shook her head.

"No. That would be way too simple for him," the songstress explained. "This is his way of matchmaking."  
"Matchmaking?" Felicia looked curious. "H-how is this matchmaking?"

Corrin pointed to a section of Beruka's page in the personnel roster. "I took the liberty of reading this and finding out who ended up pairing up with who back during the war, as part of my research for this. And, well, it turns out that our two lovebirds here pretty much always hung out together during battle. After all, the family that slays together, stays together."

"So….you're going to prank them into confessing?" The maid inquired, causing Corrin to shrug.

"No? That never works. I'm just going to influence 'em into considering at least asking each other out. The pranking helps; after all, giving them a common enemy to overcome'll make them bond better. I'm not creating something that isn't there, I'm just building on a relationship that already existed."

Azura sighed, closing her eyes. "I bet him ten gold pieces that this plan of his would fail. When have harebrained schemes like this ever worked?"

"Ye of little faith, you know my skills not," Corrin retorted with a smirk. "You'll be eating those words when I win."

"I'm sure dipping someone in fondue is an excellent relationship starter," the songstress drily retorted.

* * *

 _Meanwhile…._

Beruka and Benny continued down the corridor, the latter stepping on the floor apprehensively, still scared of falling through the floor.

"...good weather lately," the knight awkwardly remarked as he lumbered behind the assassin.

Beruka didn't turn to face him. "…..yes. Yes it is."

Benny looked uncomfortable. "….is there anything you want to…talk about?"

There was silence for a minute straight as they continued down the corridor.

"….I have taken up bug collecting as a hobby," the assassin spoke finally.

"You took up a hobby?"  
"Lady Camilla insisted I take up a hobby, so I took up bug-collecting." The assassin brushed a stray hair from her eyes as she turned to him. "I am no good at it. The insects I try to catch always get away."

Benny sighed. "…..perhaps I could help you catch some."

"No. I've decided that I will quit that hobby," Beruka replied bluntly. "It is useless anyway."

"…you know a hobby does not need to be useful, right?"

"You said so, but it's hard to understand why people take up such useless things," the assassin answered, before looking away suddenly. "…..sorry."

The knight raised an eyebrow. "What are you apologising for?"

"For not having something to talk to you about," she replied. "You're always wanting to talk to me and I never have anything to talk with you about. I am sorry-"

"…..you know that never bothers me. You never did." Benny calmly reassured her, before grabbing Beruka's shoulder. "Watch out!"

The assassin whirled around, but was too late to avoid her foot breaking a tripwire, causing a pair of Disrobing Gales to blow at her and a multitude of buckets to dump a ton of cold water on Beruka.

Her armor found itself discarded on the side of the corridor as Beruka was reduced to her own smallclothes, now sopping wet. Benny innocently looked away, trying to avert his gaze from her half-naked body.

"…..you should take the shawl back," he suggested, taking off the shawl he was wearing and handing it to her without looking.

"I-I will b-be fine," Beruka replied, despite clearly shivering from the cold air and the water.

….

"And I suppose _that_ was necessary to get them together too?" Azura gave Corrin a deadpan glare.

The prince shook his head. "Nope! _That_ one was just for laughs. We'll get her armor later, I promise."

Felicia shifted. "A-are you planning to do something like that to Flora?"

"No, of course not," Corrin reassured her. "Hopefully we'll get Jakob and her together _without_ me needing to break out the Disrobing Gales."

…

Beruka clutched her axe in one hand and her sack and rope in the other as she and Benny continued down the corridor, almost completely naked and with the former sopping wet.

"…Beruka, you're shivering." Benny pointed out, still wearing the shawl. The assassin shook her head.

"I-I am f-fine. I-I can operate i-in conditions l-like this. A-anything f-for Lady Camilla….."

"Just let me."

She stopped moving at the tone of concern in his voice.

The knight wrapped the shawl around her shoulders, and the assassin didn't move to stop him. Her shivering somewhat subsided, as she hugged the shawl around herself to absorb the warmth.

"….thank you," she replied in a subdued whisper.

"Don't push yourself so hard," the knight warned. "You're always doing that. You'll make yourself sick. It's not good for you."

"You told me this many times," Beruka finished for him. "You learned from your days on the farm in your village."

Benny's eyes widened. "…..you remembered? I told you that during the war."

"I have a good memory. It helps to keep contracts in order."

Suddenly, a shadow appeared around the next corner, seemingly watching them. Beruka immediately hefted her sack and rope, sprinting towards the person, only for them to disappear around the corner. Benny immediately clambered behind her, trying to keep pace. His large, muscled frame was not as quick as the assassin's lithe frame, so by the time he got there, Beruka was staring down the corridor, breathing heavily.

"I lost the target," Beruka uttered with only the briefest hint of irritation. "….he disappeared."

Benny frowned, looking around for any sign of the person she was pursuing. "…..wait, what's this?"

He crouched down onto the floor, picking up a black thread that led all the way down the corridor in front of them.

"Let's follow this," he suggested as the assassin looked at the thread with him. "It might lead us to this prankster."

Beruka was already halfway down the corridor, following it the moment he'd finished his sentence.

 _Meanwhile, in Corrin's Office….._

"You're leading them straight to us?" Azura stared at Corrin. "That's daring, but how do you expect to escape Beruka?"

Corrin wagged his finger. "If you think my plan's that simple, you don't know me nearly as well as you think."

"W-what are you doing?" Felicia inquired, curious. Corrin simply smirked in response.

"…you'll see in about a minute, going by how fast Beruka's running."

…..

Beruka followed the thread to a door. The assassin pulled on the doorknob, but it was locked. She closed her eyes, crouching down to pick the lock and instinctively reaching for her pouch before realising she was in her smallclothes. She closed her eyes, sighing.

"How am I supposed to-"  
"RAAAAAAAAH!" Benny charged the door with his shoulder and smashed it down, forcing himself in. Beruka blinked, shocked by the display of force, before shaking her head and standing up, satisfied with the answer.

The knight rubbed his shoulder, grunting. "That worked."

"That, it did," the assassin replied as she looked around.

The room they were in was absolutely littered with strange devices and contraptions, the likes of which neither of them had ever seen before, with drawings of everyone they knew, from Charlotte and Xander to Niles and Oboro in increasingly indecent and lustful situations pinned on the walls. Beruka's eyes immediately laid themselves on the chair in front of her, which was faced away. However, there was someone clearly sitting in it. They chuckled, not turning to face the pair.

"…so, you finally found me," the unknown person remarked. "Well done. I knew you'd find me eventually, dear. Still, I can't pass up such a _luscious_ proposition, messing with you all like this, so I'm afraid I'll have to be off. You'll be a crown jewel of mine, though."

Beruka wasted no time, leaping onto the chair with her sack to trap her target.

However, the room suddenly filled with smoke, obscuring her vision quickly as her sack fell on thin air.

"Ah-!" The assassin suddenly squealed as she fell onto the chair, her sack falling onto the back of the chair instead. Benny coughed behind her, hacking as the smoke cleared.

"W-where did that come from?!"

"…he's gone." Beruka looked around quickly for her target, but they had completely disappeared, with nary a sign to see where they'd gone. Instead, in his place was a card, which she quickly seized, staring at it.

"…look behind you?" She read out, confused. Beruka stood up, looking at an equally confused Benny, who shrugged, before a gust of wind pushed her from behind and pushed her lips onto the knight's.

…..

Azura blinked. "…wow. You just...seriously?"  
"Taking a picture of this," Corrin remarked as he took a screenshot of Beruka and Benny's accidental kiss. "And our fake mastermind did his job well enough. Isn't that right, Niles?"

"Joining this operation has been a rather….. _stimulating_ experience," the archer remarked with a sadistic grin as he walked in. "I wish you gave me more _interesting_ things to do than being your decoy, but…I'm happy with this for now."

Felicia snorted, giggling. "…..you went to all this trouble for that, C-Corrin?"  
"Sue me, I need my kicks too."

….

"S-sorry! I'm so sorry!" Benny cried as he pulled away, Beruka standing in place completely frozen. "I am so, so sorry, I didn't mean to, I swear-!"

"…." The assassin put a hand on her cheek, feeling the redness burn. "…you just…..I…"

The knight's cheeks were equally red, as he went between feeling like he should run away or wanting to comfort the clearly utterly dumbfounded Beruka.

"…I….that….I….." She murmured something under her breath. The knight blinked.

"Huh?"  
"…..I…. _liked_ that," Beruka whispered, trying not to say it too loud. "…why did I….?"

Benny seemed stunned. "….you….. _liked_ it?"  
"Yes…y-yes I did," the assassin conceded. "I….c-can you do it again?"

Benny blinked, looking away embarrassedly. "…..a-actually, o-only lovers d-do that…."

"….love? Is….t-that what you call this feeling?"

The knight seemed even more surprised. "…wait. D-do you…."

"I think I….I do. It's…..so strange." Beruka admitted, looking down, to her sides and anywhere but directly at him. "…I suppose I should spend more time with you. I-It's the only way to be sure. Definitely."

"….I wouldn't mind that at all," Benny replied, smiling goofily despite himself. "…..but….w-we should probably find Corrin first."

Beruka breathed deeply, trying to regain her composure. "Yes. We should tell him about the prankster in his fortress. And then…..I suppose we can…try to spend more time together?"

"I don't know how this is done, h-honestly….."The knight admitted. "S-still….I'm glad."

"Huh?"  
"I…..I've had feelings like this for you ever since the war," Benny confessed. "And yes, I do want to spend more time with you. I'm not sure how else I s-should put it….."

"Well," the assassin sighed. "It's the same for me." Beruka offered him a small smile.

….

"Boo-yah." Corrin pumped his fist triumphantly. "And _that's_ how you do matchmaking through trickery."

Azura sighed, passing him ten gold coins. "I still can't believe that worked. How does that even work?"

"I've seen fanfics do this stuff on a shorter scale," Corrin admitted. "It's not that unlikely."

"If you would do it to Xander, that would be rather useful," Niles suggested helpfully. "His agonising over Charlotte finding out about his feelings for her are starting to get boring, honestly."

"Later," the prince sighed, cracking his knuckles as he shut the laptop. "I have bigger fish to fry for now. After all, I've still got to work on Flora and Jakob. But first, we'll get those two some clothes and a towel. Felicia, mind helping me out?"  
"S-sure!"

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Another mold broken; the couple with UST not getting together for a load of chapters. Well, we already have ONE official couple confirmed, just five hundred more left to go. Again, I'm hoping this doesn't feel too rushed, I'm trying to break the mold quite a bit and it's rather weird and stuff (in this particular case, I just want to use Beruka and Benny as a random duo who show up every so often). And, also, an antic actually WORKING.**

 **So, next chapter, Kaze Reacts to Fanclubs, and I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, suggestions, thoughts and reviews, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until the STINGER!**

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Shirasagi City_

"Heheheheh!" Odin posed majestically next to a statue. "And this is the Flying Dragon pose I used to vanquish the Seventh Darklord!"

Elise stared in awe, before clapping. "The Seventh Darklord? Was he strong? What were they like?!"

Silas sighed, shaking his head. "You know, I'm never going to understand how their imaginations can fly so much….."

"Hey, you."

"Aww, not you." Silas groaned as he looked up at the owner of the voice, Prince Takumi of Hoshido. "…..what do you want?"

"You're Corrin's friend, right?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"…I want you to tell me everything you know about this 'Antic Order' thing. I know he's in it." Takumi warned him, glaring. The cavalier shrugged.

"I don't know a thing."  
"Seriously?! I know you two are in on it! You and Kaze and….h-her!" He pointed at the completely innocent Elise, who was attempting to emulate Odin's pose in the background. Silas rolled his eyes.

"Please. You're grasping at straws now."  
"…I _will_ catch Corrin, and I'll _prove_ that he's not innocent!" Takumi swore. "Just wait! Just _watch_ me!"

With that, he stormed off, leaving an annoyed Silas in his wake. The cavalier slapped his forehead with his palm, sighing.

"Good grief. I don't know how Corrin hasn't pranked _him_ yet."

"…so, Corrin is a potential suspect," Saizou muttered under his breath, watching the scene from a barrel he was crouched in. He narrowed his eye, looking away. "…Lord Ryoma will want to know this. And I will finally get my revenge for the _humiliation_ that prankster paid us.

Just you wait."

* * *

 **END**


	7. Kaze Reacts to Fanclubs!

**Kaze Reacts to Fanclubs!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! I had to go take a break for a few days to study up for my upcoming exams (the primary reason for my upcoming drought), and I also had a bad case of writer's block, so I kinda had to calm down, but I'm back, I'm raring to go, and we should get going!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise we would have floatation rings and rubber duckies in the accessory shop. (Don't lie, you want to see Xander in those.)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

 _Kaze's House, Shirasagi Town_

"…..this is beginning to be rather troublesome," Kaze's hand was firmly on his forehead as Felicia surveyed the disaster zone that was his front door.

"…..we've got trouble," the maid replied, nodding in agreement. "Especially with this much…"

The maid and ninja stood in front of a pile of unread love letters clogging up Kaze's door, with enough paper wedged into the cracks to prevent them from even opening it. Above the pile of these letters were piles of boxes of chocolates, sweets and other foods donated to Kaze by his loving admirers, with names from the likes of 'Haruhi' and 'Shizune'- and even one from Azama, though Felicia and Kaze both suspected that was a joke- marked on these boxes. There were even a few bundles of _daikon_ radishes strewn amongst the boxes, with small tags attached to the leaves.

Kaze closed his eyes, sighing. "This is why I called you to help me, Felicia. I can't even get into my house without cleaning all of this out."

"…..I thought these were all supposed to be in Corrin's mailbox?"  
"They were," the ninja replied. He patted the burlap sack, clearly filled to bursting, in his right hand. "This is where the ones I got from there went."

Felicia's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets at the sheer quantity. "H-how many letters did you get?!"  
"I have absolutely no idea," Kaze answered matter-of-factly. "And it absolutely confuses me _why_."

"Why what?"  
"Why do all these women…..and some men, I know some of them weren't joking, unlike Azama…..like me so much?" The ninja scratched his head confusedly. "I never understood why."

Felicia looked deep in thought, tapping her chin. "….m-maybe because you're always so helpful, a-and kind?"

"I think you're talking about Corrin," Kaze chuckled good-naturedly. "I'm hardly _that_ helpful and kind."

"You always help me clean up my messes in the kitchen, and in the corridors, and in Corrin's room! Of course you're helpful!" The maid replied, shocked that Kaze would say such things. "And of course, everyone always says you're handsome and…..h-have a nice voice…."

Kaze scratched his head, still confused. "They say that?"

"Don't you remember? Nyx even tried to turn you into a frog because she thought you were trying to seduce her with your voice."

"…ah," the ninja nodded, snapping his fingers in realisation. "That'd explain it. I thought it was because I found her romance novels."

Felicia frowned, looking at the indomitable pile of gifts and letters. "How are we supposed to get rid of all of this?"

"I think we should just burn it all," Kaze thought carefully. "…..except the food. We should give Lady Elise and Lady Sakura the sweets. They'd like those. And perhaps Mozu should have the radishes- I know she likes to cook with those."

The maid sighed. "We're going to need a wheelbarrow to carry all of this out…"  
"Or five," the ninja added, crossing his arms. "Definitely more than just one wheelbarrow."

The two were completely unaware of the three women watching them from afar, hiding behind a nearby barrel.

"Oh gods, it's Kaze! He's back! He's going to see our gifts!"  
"No, no, he'll see _my_ gifts first!"  
"Clearly he wants _mine_ \- wait, wait, who's that with him?"

"Is that a….a _woman_?!"  
"No way! Kaze's not taken! Not _my_ Kaze!"  
"He's _mine_! And that girl…..how _dare_ she take our beloved away from us!? She must be stopped before she corrupts his innocence!"

"Tell the others! The Kaze Appreciation Society must know of this threat!"

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Fort Corrin…._

"I wish big bro would've taken me with him to Izumo! Izana's always so funny….." Elise complained, her cheeks puffed out and her arms crossed as she sat on a bench next to Azura, who sighed, rubbing her back to comfort her.

"It's alright, Elise. I'll make sure he'll make it up to you."

"Make him buy me some ice cream! That's the only way to make up for this grand crime!" Elise cried dramatically. Azura snorted, amused at her outburst.

"…..you've been taking lessons from Odin, I see."

"Odin's so fun to be around! I like him!" The princess admitted, smiling. "He's really nice, too!"

' _Odin and Elise, together? The world would be a louder and more interesting place,'_ the songstress chuckled at the thought of the dark mage and the princess together. _'Though I doubt Leo would survive long.'_

Kaze and Felicia walked up to them, with the ninja raising a hand in greeting. "Hey, you two. Do you know where Corrin is? I need to talk to him."

"You just missed him!" Elise replied. "He's gone to Izumo!"

"Izumo? Why?" Felicia inquired, curious.

"He wants to meet up with Izana again and talk about Nohrian partridges," Azura replied. Felicia and Kaze instantly understood; 'Nohrian partridges' was one of a set of codewords to be used in conversation if Elise, a target, or a non-initiate was in earshot, which meant that Corrin or anyone else was currently away on Antic Order business or otherwise occupied with something that anyone not in the Order didn't need to know. "I personally question why he picked _Izana_ of all people, but Corrin's judgement in these kinds of situation is second to none."

"That's disappointing," the ninja admitted. "I…..was hoping I could get his help. By the way, Lady Elise, I have some chocolates for you, do you want them?"  
"Oh, really?" The princess' eyes lit up as she was given a box of chocolates by the ninja. She gasped and hugged him tightly. "Thanks! You're the best! Wait, you're not about to confess your love to me, are you? Isn't this what people do when they like each other?"  
"I assure you, that's not what's happening right now," Kaze replied with a laugh. "You're like a sister to me, milady."

"Yay!" Elise cheered as she immediately started digging into the chocolates, eating through them faster than the eye could see.

Felicia raised her finger. "Actually, it _does_ have something to do with that…."  
"Oh?" Azura lifted an eyebrow. "You don't mean to tell me _Saizou_ is confessing to Elise?"

Kaze simply gave her a deadpan look. "…. _very_ funny, Lady Azura."

"I live to please, Kaze," she retorted drily. "On a serious note, what is it?"  
"Kaze and I were hoping to get Corrin's help to find out w-why so many people like him so much…." The maid explained. "Then maybe his house wouldn't be blocked off with so many love letters…."

The songstress immediately produced a poster. "Here. Corrin kept a copy, just in case you might think about coming along."

Kaze took the poster, tilting his head as he read it. "…..the Kaze Appreciation Society….meeting every other night in Shirasagi Market? …when did _this_ start?"  
"It started just after the war, when more or less everyone in Hoshido knew your name as one of Corrin's retainers," Azura explained. "Corrin found out about it right when it started- Azama told him after _he_ found out from a shopkeeper in the market. He thought about telling you, but….well, you've always been rather oblivious about the fact that you are, as Izana put it, a 'chick magnet'."

Kaze looked troubled, frowning at the poster. "…..perhaps I should go in there and ask them to stop. I don't want all these people spending their time on me when they could be doing something else….."

Felicia's eyes widened. "T-that wouldn't work! They'd practically tear you apart!"  
"She's right, they would tear you apart if you set foot directly in there." Azura nodded in agreement. "You need a more subtle approach."

"How so?" The ninja asked, curious.

"I honestly don't know," the songstress replied, shrugging. "In my days in Hoshido, when I was rejecting my suitors, I simply told them I didn't like them. I felt it was better to be harsh than lead them on, after all."

"You're stone cold," Elise stared at Azura in amazement. "You just…..told them you didn't like them?"

The songstress put up a defensive tone. "It is always better to be honest. Harsh truths can be-"  
"You're the coolest big sister ever! I wish I could be like that, just cool and not afraid of anything!" The princess hugged Azura at the waist, giggling. Azura raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised.

"It seems liking my bluntness runs in the family, even without a blood relation." Sighing, the songstress returned the hug, patting Elise on the head.

Kaze sighed, clearly expecting a different answer. "Regardless, thank you for your insight, Lady Azura. Felicia, if you wish to go now, I will think on this myself-"  
"Actually, I want to help you!" Felicia uttered suddenly. "Y-you're always helping me out and I want to pay you back for it. I want to help you get these women to stop bothering you!"

The ninja frowned. "Only if you aren't busy right-"  
"Feel free to keep her busy," Jakob remarked as he pushed a cart full of broken fondue barrels and a cheese-covered mop next to them. "It would make _my_ job far easier."

Felicia frowned at him as he went past, but the butler seemed rather cheerfully oblivious. Kaze shook his head.

"Pay no heed to him. Shall we go, then?"  
As the ninja and maid walked off, Azura sighed, shaking her head.

"I never _did_ understand why women liked Kaze so much….." the songstress mused. "His looks and voice aren't precisely the be-all and end-all of men. I always found Corrin better-looking, for one…."

* * *

 _Back in Shirasagi Town…._

Kaze and Felicia sat on a bench, eating quietly. They were eating pots of the Hoshidan soup dish called _oden_ , and the maid was fumbling with the chopsticks trying to pluck an egg from the broth.

"Ah….I never learned how to use these properly," Felicia confessed as the egg slipped from her sticks for the umpteenth time, slipping back into the pot. "I never saw how you could eat with these things."  
Kaze pulled up his own chopsticks, pinching them together like a pair of pincers. "Here. Hold them like this."

The maid tilted her head, looking at the ninja's pose, before attempting to hold her chopsticks like that. She ended up accidentally tipping some of the hot broth onto Kaze's leg instead.

"O-oh! I'm sorry!" Felicia cried as she put her pot aside, taking out a handkerchief. "I-I'll clean it right away!"  
"It's fine, really. Let me." Kaze offered, shaking his head and taking the handkerchief to dab it at his leg. "It's not easy to use these if you're just learning now. I found it hard to learn how to use these when I was a child, personally."

"I think we should've gotten the steamed pork buns instead…." The maid sighed, frowning. "That would've been easier…."

The ninja rubbed her shoulder reassuringly. "Hey, hey. It's not that bad. Besides…when I eat this, I never really use chopsticks. I just do this."

He took his pot, tipping it to his lips and drank the broth and contents straight down. "I always found that easier."

"Doesn't it get a little messy?" Felicia pointed out, giggling at the sight. Kaze shrugged.

"I'll give you that," the ninja conceded. "I try not to make a mess. It's easy if you've learned how."

The maid, satisfied with that answer, decided to change the topic. "…and what about this Kaze Appreciation Society? What are we going to do about them?"

"That's an entirely different matter…." Kaze sighed, putting aside his _oden_ pot and thinking carefully. "Lady Azura said that we should use a subtle approach, although I don't know how that's going to work if we need to make it clear to them I'm not interested."

Felicia looked thoughtful. "Hm…..maybe we could have someone go to them and tell them to stop bothering you? I think we could ask Lord Ryoma to-"  
"No, we shouldn't bother him with something like this," Kaze pointed out. "He's the king of Hoshido now. He probably has more things to concern himself than a tiny group of people and some love letters…."

"W-what about, um, Hinoka? Or Sakura?"

"That might get the wrong message across," the ninja pointed out. "If they're already trying to get my attention, having one of the _royal princesses_ tell them to leave me alone may not be as good an idea as you think."  
"….maybe Charlotte could help?"

Kaze chuckled at the thought. "…..that might actually not be so bad an idea. She _can_ get rather rough, though…."

Suddenly, however, their musings were interrupted by a group of women- and some men- slowly approaching them. Most of them were carrying some merchandise to do with Kaze; whether it was a brooch with Kaze's face on it, a poster of Kaze, a poster begging Kaze to have their babies or straw effigies of Kaze, they were all carrying some sort of work devoted to celebrating the fact of the green-clad ninja's existence.

And all of them were glaring straight at Felicia with the killing intent found only in the glare of a person avenging their beloved.

"U-um…what do they want?" Felicia looked to Kaze worriedly. She already knew, deep down, but she was hoping for some form of confirmation.

"Get her!"  
"She's having food with Kaze!"  
"Keep her away from him! He's _ours_!"

"He's _my_ date to the Festival of Stars! Get the interloper!"

"That's our cue to run," the ninja grabbed Felicia's hand and stood up. "Let's go!"

"Eh?!" The maid looked confused as Kaze ran away, dragging her along. "T-this is _not_ how this should've gone!"

The crowd of Kaze admirers sprinted towards them, attempting to close the gap. Felicia looked back at their pursuers, looking absolutely dumbfounded, before Kaze yanked them into a nearby alleyway, jumping into a pair of barrels as the crowd of admirers rushed past.

"The Festival of Stars? What's that?" Felicia whispered over to the neighbouring barrel. "Why do they want to take you there?"

"It's a festival every year in Hoshido," Kaze whispered back, planting the barrel top over his head to keep anyone from looking in. "It's a festival every year which is held because- look, I don't have time to explain the _full_ legend behind it, but it's traditionally a thing couples attend-"  
"And that is why our dear Kaze is being beset by a multitude of women and men. Truly a horrible fate, to have the hearts of so many people so easily captivated."

Felicia almost jumped at the other voice. "W-who's there?!"

Azama's fluffy hairdo, followed by the rest of the man himself, popped up from a barrel. "My, Felicia, I thought we were friends. How rude of you not to recognise me."

"Azama?! What are you doing here?" Kaze inquired, as the monk smiled at him.

"Ah, I was just admiring the sunshine today. It's rather cloudy elsewhere-"  
"Did _you_ set those people on us? I know you knew about this, so don't lie!"  
Azama chuckled. "No, of course not. I'm hardly a prankster like Corrin; men like him are on a different level than I. Anyway, I question the logic of you complaining about the fact that so many women and men seem desperate to throw themselves at you. I know for a fact Laslow would _love_ such a 'curse'….."

"Can you pipe down? I don't want them to find us!" Kaze hissed, as the monk's smile took on a mischievous glint. The ninja blanched in terror as he realised what he had just done.

"Ah, but Kaze, how would you _learn_ to deal with so many of them? I always thought the harshest lessons were the best. After all, they did make me climb mountains to drum the fool out of me as a youth. I see no reason why you should be spared any worse, Kaze, considering this lesson needs to be learned," the monk explained, before whistling as loud as he could. "Oh _ladies_! Kaze and his girlfriend are over _here_! In this alleyway!"

The crowd visibly stopped, before the people closest to the alleyway turned and began running towards them.

"G-girlfriend?!" Felicia cried, blushing profusely before the ninja clambered out of the barrel, grabbing her.

"Gods, Azama!" Kaze cried exasperatedly. "Really?!"

The monk merely grinned as he pulled the barrel top back over himself, crouching back in. "I have always prided myself upon being an _excellent_ teacher."

The last thing the pair heard was his chuckle before they sprinted away, the Kaze Appreciation Society in hot pursuit.

* * *

 _Shirasagi Market_

"We have to lose them somehow!" Kaze warned, running just ahead of Felicia as the teeming mass of admirers swept towards them. The pair sprinted into the main market square, which was currently swamped with stalls and people trying to buy their usual commodities.

Felicia dodged a soaring tomato aimed at her head, managing to tread over it without slipping, an act for which she congratulated herself silently. "D-do you have any ideas?"

"We could try to lose them in the crowd, perhaps!"  
"N-no good, they'll just rip through the crowd and find us!" The maid shot back. Kaze looked around desperately, trying to find something, _anything_ to help him escape.

' _Come on…..it'd be nice if I had some of those sleeping darts or smoke bombs Mozu made…..'_ the ninja thought to himself. _'Why is it so easy to disappear in a fight but not like_ this _?!'_

Felicia, however, was too preoccupied with her current situation to see where she was going. Immediately, she jostled a nearby basket full of spices, spray the red powder within into the air into the eyes of their pursuers.

"S-sorry!" She cried apologetically, waving towards the shopkeeper who began cursing at her with very colourful Hoshidan oaths. However, the task achieved something; much of the front line of their pursuers had stepped aside, trying to rub the spices out of their eyes, and their numbers had thinned out.

Kaze saw the distraction, nodding immediately. Looking around, he seized a nearby clothesline hanging off a pair of posts and grabbed it, whipping it backwards to catch a few more of their pursuers with assorted pairs of underpants, knocking them straight out.

He looked over to Felicia. "Keep doing what you were doing!"  
"W-what?"

"….t-that! Just do that!"

Felicia looked utterly confused, before looking to another nearby basket, catching his meaning. This time, she grabbed the basket and threw the contents backwards at their pursuers, slathering them in salt. Kaze, meanwhile, jostled past the crowd, trying to put as much distance between him, Felicia and the Society, apologising profusely as he went by. Felicia followed in his wake, trying to dodge fruit, vegetables and a few unspeakably rude words.

Suddenly, however, the maid spied something right in front of them.

"L-look out!" Felicia cried, reaching towards Kaze. The ninja looked behind him from her cry and turned to take an extended pole in the face from a cart carrying a travelling puppet stage. Kaze fell onto the dusty path in front of them, temporarily stunned. Felicia crouched by him, checking him for any obvious signs of injury; satisfied that he was fine, the maid breathed a brief sigh of relief before realising that the Kaze Appreciation Society had completely surrounded them, with the remaining ladies and gentlemen who made up the society. Almost all of them were glaring at her.

"This is your fault!"  
"You hurt our Kaze!"

"This is unforgivable! What do you have to say for yourself?!"

Felicia swallowed nervously, her eyes flitting between the murderous glances aimed at her. _'Okay, what do I do here?! Um…..maybe….what would Corrin do?'_

Then it hit her.

'… _C-Corrin would go in with no shame whatsoever and say whatever he needs to say. Should I try that? I can't fight my way out, so…well, here goes!'_

Felicia breathed in deeply, trying to muster up as much false anger as she could, before standing up, trying her best to glare at the crowd around her.

"GO AWAY!" The maid yelled in the angriest voice she could muster, trying to tear up and put on all the other signs of concern and angered worry, wiping a tear from her eye. "KAZE'S MINE! I-if you all actually cared about him, h-he wouldn't have gotten hurt! B-but you just wanted to bother him and pile on him, s-so go _away_! He's _mine_! None of you can have him! So if you can all _back_ off and leave him to me, you'd all be doing a favour!"

At that, the admirers immediately backed off, clearly shaken by Felicia's display. The maid had to suppress a nervous smile.

' _D-did it work? Did I….did I convince them to leave him alone?'_

Kaze slowly awoke, blinking as he groaned, rubbing his throbbing temples and seeing Felicia standing over him like a guard dog, staring down the whole crowd.

"Come on," Felicia whispered to him, offering him her hand. The ninja blushed, not realising what the maid was doing at first, before detecting the tears on Felicia's face were fake.

'… _..a ruse? A good one, too. Great thinking, Felicia.'_

The ninja took her offer, pulling himself to his feet with her help. The crowd moved aside, too stunned to react in any coherent manner, as Felicia guided Kaze out of the market square.

…..

When the Society was out of earshot, Kaze and Felicia sat at a bench alone, breathing heavily, exhausted from the chase. The maid sighed in relief, nervous.

"I can't believe they r-really bought it!" Felicia cried, still in disbelief. Kaze blinked.

"Believed what?"  
"I….um…." the maid played with her fingers nervously, blushing. "I…..I kinda pretended to be your….girlfriend and….I-I told them all to leave you alone."

The ninja stared at her. "You...did it work?"  
"Well….we got away, didn't we?" The maid responded. "…I-I hope it was okay with you."

Kaze chuckled. "Why wouldn't it be? I owe you one, Felicia. Hopefully that'll convince them to leave me alone and make sure they don't bother you again. It must've been rather good acting, too."

"T-thanks….." Felicia answered with a smile, still calming down from the speed of the chase.

"….please, accompany me to the Festival of Stars."

Felicia didn't process exactly what Kaze had said for over a minute, before she stared at him.

"W-WHAT?!" The maid stared at him in shock, her face completely red. Kaze nodded with a smile.

"It's the best I can do for you after you saved me from my admirers, Felicia," the ninja replied somewhat bashfully. "I-if you don't want to, or if you've already made plans….I…"  
"N-no! I'd be honoured to go with you!" Felicia replied hastily. "I mean…y-you're not asking me as your….lover, right?"

' _That would be insane, of course. Why would Kaze like someone like me? I mean I'm just a maid, and he can have any woman he likes, so if he's going to-'_

"That wouldn't be such a bad idea, actually," the ninja mused. Felicia stared at him in shock, her mouth agape.

"I'm kidding," the ninja replied with a chuckle. "Just as friends, Felicia."

Felicia sighed in relief. "O-okay."

She smiled at him. "O-Of course I'd be happy to accompany you to the festival, Kaze. It would be my pleasure."

Kaze nodded. "Excellent!"

* * *

 _Later, in Fort Corrin…._

"So you're coming with Kaze to the Festival of Stars because of all that?" Azura raised an eyebrow, as Felicia nodded.

"Yes, yes I am."

"And…you know what that's usually associated with, right?"  
"O-of course! But we're only heading there as friends!" Felicia reassured her. Azura shrugged.

"If you say so, Felicia. If you say so."

The maid tilted her head, before shrugging and walking off, completely oblivious to her implications. The songstress shook her head, sighing. "Well, Corrin's going to enjoy hearing about-"  
"I'm going to enjoy hearing about what?" Corrin had his arms crossed, raising his eyebrow.

Azura turned to him. "Back from Izumo already? I assume the meeting with Izana went well?"

"Well, he'd already agreed to join the Order," the prince explained. "On one condition. He's allowed to hold one party at my place. He loves my place, apparently."

Azura snorted. "Well, he was always somewhat of a party animal….so, did you hear already?"

"About?"

"Felicia and Kaze are to be attending the Festival of Stars together," the songstress informed him.

Corrin raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Well…..isn't _that_ a thing."

"It involved them being chased by a group of crazy admirers through the Hoshidan capital, Azama trolling them and Kaze being hit in the head with a pole, but it ended well," the songstress nodded, satisfied. Corrin nodded as well, seeming just as satisfied.

"Huh…alright."

"….you know, I don't know what Azama was doing in a barrel in the middle of Shirasagi Town….." the songstress remarked, giving Corrin a suspicious look. "Might you?"  
"I honestly don't know what you're talking about," the prince replied. "I've been in Izumo all day. I'm happy for them."

Azura looked in disbelief. "You _did_ plan it!"  
"I'm serious," Corrin replied. "Besides, Azura, I'm not behind _everything_ that goes on around here. Or, well, at least that's what I'd like everyone to believe. Now, about this Festival of Stars…..I might be able to work something with Flora and Jakob in there…"

The prince walked off, thinking to himself and muttering to himself about various plans to get the maid and the butler together.

The songstress blinked. She sighed, shaking her head.

"…you know…..I'm almost inclined to believe that Corrin didn't plan this whole day out just to get Kaze and Felicia together. Almost. Or maybe he really was serious about having nothing to do with it…."

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Well, well. I'll leave it to you guys to figure out if Corrin was responsible or not for Kaze and Felicia's insane day out. Anyway, let's get on with the stuff, next chapter will be the lads playing Munchkin, for anyone who's played that board game. Just a little break for more insanity.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, suggestions, criticisms, reviews and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	8. Corrin Reacts to Munchkin!

**Corrin Reacts to Munchkin!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Firstly, I'd like to report some good news; I got into contact with the mods (well, one of the mods, the legend himself,** **P.T. Piranha** **, a regular reviewer on this story) and I'm pleased to announce that we're going to feature the one and only FE14 Drabbles blog on this story. Secondly, and this happened JUST as I was typing up this very bunch of notes, the one and only** **Koriember** **agreed (and you fans of Lucina Reacts get ready to squee) to having their fic** **When Tactics Collide** **featured in not one, but** _ **both**_ **Corrin Reacts AND Lucina Reacts! Hoo boy! I've also sent off requests to a few others, and if those get in before I finish typing this up, you'll know. Anyway! Let's get on!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise Takumi would have a pineapple accessory of some sort.**

 **Munchkin belongs to Steve Jackson Games.**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"My, my, what a mess…." Flora sighed as she picked a fallen doily from the floor, shaking her head. The maid uttered, to nobody in particular, "Felicia, be careful next time."

Flora was cleaning through Corrin's room, cleaning up the fallen items which her sister had knocked onto the floor in her cleaning spree. Thankfully, nothing fragile had been toppled over- in part because Corrin had stuck most of those to the tables with some miraculous substance called 'glue'- so Flora needed only pick up some books, a few tablecloths and a fallen teddy bear that was a birthday gift from Elise.

"...the Festival of Stars, huh?" The maid mused to herself, remembering what Felicia had told her about Kaze inviting her to come with him to the occasion. "….perhaps I should…ask Jakob…."

She shook her head quickly, trying to dispel the blush that had covered her cheeks. "N-no. No. He wouldn't want to go with me. He's probably got…..someone else in mind."

"On the contrary, you're being rather pessimistic, don't you think?"

Flora stopped, before turning to see Corrin, leaning on the doorframe and the other remaining items on the floor already neatly packed away. "….C-Corrin, I thought you were away."

"I came back early. Clothes shopping wasn't that long," he explained, smiling. "Hey, listen. When you want to go ask Jakob out to the festival, come find me. I'll root for you all the way. I'll even make you two a nice candlelit dinner. Maybe with scented candles and Elise playing the violin in the background."

The maid snorted, trying not to laugh. "Don't be so silly, Corrin. You wouldn't do all that."  
"Wouldn't I? You know, I've had your back ever since we lived in the Northern Fortress, Flora," the prince reminded her, wagging his teasingly. "Trust me. If that's what it took for you and Jakob to end up together, I'd do it. It's what friends do for each other, no?"

Flora seemed surprised, before sighing and shaking her head. "You know, Corrin, you're always going to too much trouble for everyone else. It will bite you in the back someday."

"Too much? That exists?" Corrin pretended to look puzzled. "Next thing you'll tell me, Odin's no longer raving about the Thirteenth Darklord that he supposedly slew with a toothpick and a frying pan. While carrying a sufficiently scared damsel on his back."

That time, Flora couldn't resist. The maid chuckled openly, covering her mouth. "Would you stop doing that? You're making a fool out of yourself."

The prince pumped his fist triumphantly at the sight. "Boo-yah. Got you to laugh."

"Alright, you win, Corrin," Flora conceded, her giggling increasing at the absolutely absurd pose Corrin just made.

Elise suddenly burst in, clutching something. "Hey! I just found this in Corrin's office!"

"Elise, what did I say about going into my office?" Corrin sighed, frowning at his little sister. The princess pouted.

"I promise I wasn't snooping! I tripped and fell in!"

"…..I locked the door."

"…..um…." Elise looked guiltily away, blushing in embarrassment. "…..yeah, you...um….might want to replace that door."

The prince shook his head. "….how did you even _do_ that?!"  
"I don't know!"  
Flora sighed, her giggling fit over. "I'll fix it-"  
"No, no, it's fine," Corrin reassured her, holding his hand up. "Trust me. I'll fix it. I know how to fix doors, just leave it to me."

"When did you learn that?" Flora looked over at him curiously. At that, the prince looked away guiltily himself.

"I….may have…..done what Elise just did. In hindsight, I didn't know doors couldn't take a dragon foot all that well and I paid for it!"

Elise looked smug as the maid just sighed, exasperated. "See? I'm not the only one who trips through doors!"

"You're still not off the hook, Elise," the prince reminded her. "Show me what you have."

The princess pushed up a tan-colored box with the stylized image of a redheaded man with a horned helmet and a multitude of weapons. Corrin scratched his head.

"…how did that fall out? I put it in the drawer?" He took the box, blinking. Flora tilted her head at it.

"….what's a….Munchkin?" The maid inquired, curious.

"A really good board game that I picked up in the Outrealms. Used to play it with a few coworkers at the coffee shop where I was," Corrin explained, a nostalgic smile on his face. "Those were good times."

Elise's eyes lit up at the mention of a game. "A board game? Can we play, can we play?"

Flora frowned. "I don't know….I'm not too confident with board games."

'… _.you know, I could do something with this,_ ' Corrin thought to himself, a smirk growing on his face.

"No, no, stay, Flora," the prince stated. "…I have an idea. Elise, we're playing a game, but…..mind if I get someone to join us? After all, the more the merrier, right?"  
The princess bobbed her head up and down. "Yeah, okay! Yay, more people to play with!"

* * *

 _Minutes later….._

"Lord Corrin, I appreciate that you desire my company," Jakob stated as Corrin, Flora and Elise sat in a circle with him, with the prince stacking two different stacks of cards in different piles. "But I really do think I must be going-"  
"Oh, come on, Jakob." Corrin replied, shrugging. "The fortress won't die if you take a….half hour break."

"But the cooking must be done in time for your mid-morning snack! And your tea must be ready! And your laundry must be done to the perfect temperature-" The butler started, but the prince crossed his arms.

"You know, I don't like doing this, but as your liege and King of Valla, and also as your _friend_ , I order you to _take a break_."

Jakob shut up immediately. Corrin was satisfied.

"Excellent," he tented his fingers. "Alright. Flora?"

The maid snapped out of her Jakob-induced fugue, shaking her head as she tore her gaze away from the butler. "Huh? Oh, yes?"  
"I'd better explain the rules quickly, just before we start," the prince started, before gesturing to the cards around him. "Basically, the goal of this game is to reach level ten with your character, which is one of these colored cards here. You get those levels by getting a card, killing a monster, or getting some magic. You get said things by kicking down the door- fancy game talk for drawing a card from this pile here- and taking it, whether it's a monster or a curse, and then after you kill a monster, you take some loot from the other pile here. Oh, and if a monster or curse kills you, you lose everything and start from level one. There's a lot more rules, but those are the most obvious ones."

Elise frowned. "Awww…that means I'll-"  
"Hang on, I wasn't done," Corrin held up his finger. "Since there's four of us, there's a …..house rule I'd like to introduce. Two players can team up and get one of them to level ten to let both of them win. I'll go with Elise here, so you two can go together."

The princess pumped her fists. "Yes! I'm with big bro! Nothing will stop us now!"

Flora's eyes widened as Corrin paired her off with Jakob, as she barely restrained herself from yelling in shock. "J-Jakob and I?!"

"A good old-fashioned competition, then?" The partner nodded, oblivious to his soon-to-be partner's surprise. "Alright then, Lord Corrin. You are on. Be warned that I am an _excellent_ board game player, as you know from our chess matches together."  
"This isn't chess, Jakob. This is more than a mere children's board game," Corrin teased him. "Although I don't doubt you'll win. Flora's not bad at Outrealm games."

"I'm not that good….." the maid shyly confessed, looking down.

The prince broke out a diee. "Very well. Let us begin. I'll roll first. The one with the highest roll takes their turn first."

' _Give the two a common enemy to go up against and their bonds will strengthen,'_ Corrin reminded himself as he cast his die, taking a six. _'It always works, oldest trick in the book. Now I just need to apply it to a game instead of a prank. If all goes well, Flora will get Jakob to at least talk with her and my work here will be done; from that point, it'll all be Flora.'_

"Your turn to roll, Jakob," Corrin stated as he passed the die over to the butler. While the latter was busy with that, he peered closer to Elise. "Psst, sis."  
"Hm? Yes?" She whispered back.

"Do you want to help me? I'm trying to use this game to get those two together and I need your help to do it."

' _Better to tell the truth to Elise, after all. She'll be enthusiastic about it, and besides, it isn't an Order prank. It's safe.'_

Elise's eyes widened in surprise, before she giggled and started whispering back. "Anything for true love! You can count on me, big bro! What do you need?"  
"Just follow my lead and do _exactly_ as I tell you…." Corrin slowly bent over to her ear, whispering his plan.

…

"I kick down the door," Corrin announced as he picked a card from the 'door' pile. "And I fight this rather ferocious Potted Plant."

Flora tilted her head. "…..Potted Plant? That's an enemy you can fight?"

"Yep! And I beat it because I have a handy polearm to give me some boosts, and I take a level aaaand….." Corrin retrieved a card from the loot pile. "Ooh! A Loaded Die."

The maid's voice took on a deadpan tone. "It must've been a truly dangerous enemy."

"I suppose it's my turn now, then," Jakob announced, as he took a card from the 'door' pile. "Ah, I am to fight this….."

He held up a card labelled 'Crabs'.

"Now, if I got this right, I should be able to kill it with this Eleven Foot Pole's addition to my power-"

"And now it's an _old_ pair of Crabs," the prince taunted him as he placed down an Ancient modifier on the monster. He grinned at Jakob. "Roll to run away?"

"Is that even allowed?" The butler inquired. Corrin shrugged.

"It's not _dis_ allowed. Flora can help you fight it off, anyway," the prince replied, shrugging. "I can see her cards, she's doing better than you."

The prince looked over at Flora, as the maid looked confused briefly, before nodding back as she realised what Corrin was talking about. Her cards were indeed better, with an elf warrior carrying enough items to fight things five times their level. "I-I see. Alright. Yes, I will help Jakob kill the crabs."

"….this is hardly fair, Lord Corrin," the butler pointed out. "That's hardly sporting."

Corrin simply grinned. "Get with it, Jakob. Well, anyway, you and Flora beat the thing without much effort, go loot the room."

"Thank you, Flora," the butler nodded at her as he drew a card from the pile. "For stopping Lord Corrin's shenanigans."

The maid seemed pleased with herself. "Do not mention it, Jakob. We are on a team after all, aren't we?"

Jakob smiled confidently. "And that is why we shall prevail. Do you hear that, Lord Corrin? This is not over yet!"

Looking to Corrin, she muttered a silent "Thank you". The prince was satisfied.

' _Sorry, Jakob. I'll find a way to make it up to you. Hopefully by hooking you up with Flora.'_

"Elise, it's your turn to kick down the door," the prince called over to his sister.  
"Oooh!"

* * *

As the game progressed, the four of them gained levels, with Corrin constantly messing with Jakob by making his unfortunate butler the target of various curses, monster buffs and stealing monsters out from their grasp to slay himself, before 'letting' Flora act to help Jakob out. It was working well thus far, with the butler occasionally praising his unknown admirer for helping his crusade to rail against Corrin's blatant trolling.

"…really, this is getting juvenile, Lord Corrin," Jakob uttered as he discarded one of his cards, Corrin having set another curse on him. "Was that entirely necessary? I am _still_ at level five while you, Lady Elise and Flora are above level seven."

The prince taunted him with a mischievous smirk. "Clearly, you need to step up your game. The game does say 'Stab Your Buddy'."

"Corrin's only playing with you," Flora reassured the butler. "Don't worry. We'll still win."

Jakob sighed, shaking his head. "Lord Corrin, I swear, if this is one of your 'shenanigans', I will be very disappointed in you."

"Plan? Jakob, this is a _board game_. What could I _possibly_ do, as a prank, that would involve inviting my best friends and my sister to play?"

The maid sighed, chuckling despite herself at the two men and their heated competition. "I suppose what they say about 'boys being boys' is true."

' _Even if they don't ask each other out, at least they'll have a nice talking point to start a conversation,_ ' the prince noted, smiling to himself as he watched Flora enjoy herself between the competitive air and the praise from her crush. _'But…he only has_ me _as his opponent, and sooner or later I'll get stale. We're going to need to ramp this up a little_. _Time to execute Phase Two._ '

"Elise, your turn," Corrin looked over to his sister, winking. The princess nodded, understanding immediately. It was _her_ turn to play a grand part in Corrin's grand plan.

' _This is my chance to help along true love! Corrin's counting on me, so I've got to do this right!'_

Elise took her turn, slaying an Undead Horse and claiming a Wishing Ring and some Baby Oil. The game passed around the circle again- with Corrin advancing to level eight after slaying 3,872 Orcs and coming away with some more potions and a Hireling and Flora managing to kill off a Mighty Germ with ease.

It was Jakob's turn again. He gave Corrin a suspicious look, watching the prince shifting through his cards.

"…Lord Corrin, put those cards down."

"Huh? I wasn't going to do anything, I swear," the prince answered. "I promise, I won't curse you or sic a monster on you."

The butler studied him briefly, before closing his eyes and sighing. "….perhaps I _am_ being too paranoid. This is _just_ a game. Very well."

He took a card from the door pile. "I kick down the door and fight this Hydrant-"

Suddenly, Elise piled on several cards boosting the aforementioned insectoid abomination's strength. She smiled brightly at the butler.

"Now your battle will be like those fought by true heroes against the demons of the night, who can only be slain by the Demon Swords crafted under a hunter's moon from the onyx waters of the Styx!" The princess smiled brightly as both Jakob and Corrin gave her an exasperated look.

"You too?" The butler almost wheezed out in disbelief.

The prince sighed. "…..you've been hanging out with Odin again, haven't you."  
"Speaking in darkness talk's really fun!" Elise admitted, giggling. "I should talk like this more often!"

Jakob blanched. " _Gods_ no. There's already enough Odin for this world. Now…great. I have to run away now. Lord Corrin, please pass me the die….."  
"It's right next to you, I kept it next to you since I figured you'd need it a lot, running away so much."

The butler gave him an unamused stare. "As always, Lord Corrin, your jokes are an unceasing source of amusement."

Flora placed down a card. "I use this Illusion card to replace it with a Gelatinous Octahedron. Together, we can kill it. This should put you to level six and myself to level eight."

Jakob sighed in relief. "Thank you, Flora, for your assistance. Perhaps Lord Corrin would do well to follow her example, no?"  
The prince simply grinned, crossing his arms. "Like I said, 'Stab Your Buddy'." He nodded briefly at Elise, who smiled back.

Flora's smile returned at his praise. "Of course, Jakob. I'd be happy to help. We won't lose to Corrin."

"Such spirit is precisely what I like about you, Flora. Perhaps in future, we should assist each other more, no?" The butler suggested cheerily. The maid blushed, looking away.

"I-I wouldn't call it spirit. T-this is just a game, r-right?"

Corrin took a moment to look over at his servants, as the pair seemed happy working together against all the shenanigans. He chuckled.

' _Excellent. You played your part well, Elise, sparking off more praise. Now for Phase Three.'_

…..

At this point, not many cards remained in the heap for both the door and the loot pile. Corrin was currently neck-and-neck with Jakob at level nine, with Elise the farthest at level seven and Flora still stuck at level eight.

Corrin took the curse he'd drawn with grace, discarding one of his potions. "My, my. Well, looks like it's your turn."

"…..I suspect some sort of trickery coming….." Jakob regarded his liege suspiciously. The prince put on his best 'innocent' act.

"You're giving me too little credit. Besides, what am I going to do?"

"You have more or less set everything you can against me, so I'm suspecting a trap at this final moment."

"Hey, I'm not planning a thing. Isn't that right, Elise?" Corrin looked over to his little sister, who nodded happily, her ponytails bobbing behind her.

"Yeah! We're completely leaving you alone!"

Jakob didn't seem satisfied, judging from his still somewhat cautious draw from the door pile. He ended up facing a Plutonium Dragon. The butler looked over at his cards, ensuring he had just enough to fight it.

"Alright, if I just use this potion on this monster, then I-"

Suddenly, Corrin and Elise piled cards onto the monster and himself, causing Jakob to actively groan.

"This is _ridiculous_. You promised to-" The butler spoke, but he stopped as he realised what they'd done.

The fearsome monster he was supposed to face had been reduced to a babyified version of himself and Jakob's character card had been piled up with every bonus they could humanly put on him.

"…..go ahead, kill it." The prince gestured. "We told you we wouldn't screw you over this time."

"…huh. So I killed it." Jakob blinked. "…..and I'm level ten. I win."

Corrin chuckled. "You seem surprised."

"…..I suspect some sort of joke," the butler replied. "….you're planning something. I know you well enough. Regardless, I cannot stay to celebrate my victory. The water needs to be heated for your tea, Lord Corrin. So, I bid you a good game, a good day and goodbye."

Before he could be stopped, the butler had already walked away, leaving an absolutely giddy Flora and a somewhat disappointed Corrin.

"…I liked doing this," the maid confessed, smiling dreamily. "…can we do this again?"

Corrin closed his eyes. "…..that was intended to get Jakob to talk to you more so you could break the question of the Festival, Flora. And it backfired."

"…..so you _did_ have something planned?" She stared at him, surprised.

"That's why big bro and I were always targeting Jakob! So you two would get mad at us and bond!" Elise explained happily, before faltering. "Too bad it didn't work too well….."

The prince pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yep. Elise got it in one. Well…..at least you liked that, right?"

"…..well, thank you, Corrin," Flora replied, her dreamy smile fading away to be replaced with a grateful one. "Even if your plan didn't work, I still got to have a fun time with him. That's a good enough consolation."

Corrin chuckled. "Well, you didn't do much but help him out. I think _next_ time I have you both in a room, I'll go with the candlelit dinner instead of the board game."

"Ooh, ooh! Can I play them violin when you do it?" Elise offered happily.

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that was a thing. Anyway, while I was writing this, the two other guys I was speaking to also responded. So I'd like to announce that** **The Apocryphal One's** **Azura/Corrin oneshots and** **robotortoise's** **The Mechanist's Secret Power will be featured in this story! Finally, we can get some** _ **real**_ **fanfic into this joint. Anyway, next time, we'll start with the FE14 Drabbles blog! Hoo boy, Leo's going to love it, for one thing.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed….well, you already know what's coming, don't you.**

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Castle Windmire….._

"So….." Xander sighed as he read a postcard from Benny, telling of the happy holiday he and Beruka were spending in the woods, appreciating nature. "A trained assassin ended up being completely diverted from her aim against this prankster."

Camilla frowned. "I have sent a letter to Corrin, warning him about the prankster, but…I fear he won't take it seriously."

"As far as I know, you _kidnapped_ him and _locked him in a cell_ to protect him," Leo calmly pointed out. The older sister crossed her arms.

"It was for his _protection_. _NOBODY_ must be allowed to corrupt _my_ Corrin. _Nobody_."

Xander pinched the bridge of his nose. "The longer this trickster remains uncaught, the more potential those uncouth rumours have to spread."  
"What uncouth rumours? That you fell in love with Charlotte after she ripped a Faceless in two?" Camilla innocently inquired, earning her a glare. "I had assumed those were fact."

"D-don't be so absurd!"

"Who's being absurd, the one pointing out the truth or the king trying to hide a blatant crush she probably returns anyway?" Leo remarked bluntly. "Anyway, it's clear this trickster knows us deeply. They knew that Beruka and Benny had a prior relationship during the war and used that to their advantage. At the very least, they know the Nohrian army well."

"Yes, yes he does," the Nohrian king replied. "….I would send Laslow and Peri, but I promised Elise I would leave her alone in Fort Corrin, and she may not be happy if I do. What about Selena?"

"She doesn't want anything to do with this," Camilla explained. "I didn't get much out of her, but it was something about the 'Antic Order' and 'Reflet all over again'."

"They may both be good men, but I don't think _Odin_ and _Niles_ are the best to use for hunting a prankster," the youngest brother pointed out. "…..no, we'll need a different approach."

Xander closed his eyes. "Surely you're not telling me…."  
"We need to call the Hoshidans in," Leo stated. "If this prankster knows about our weaknesses, there's a chance they won't know theirs."

"…very well, if only to catch this prankster," Xander conceded, sighing. He turned towards his room's door. "Peri! I need to speak with you for a few seconds!"

….

 _Castle Shirasagi_

"So the Nohrians want us to send someone to Fort Corrin, because they suspect that our prankster is there….." Ryoma read out the letter sent by the cavalier standing beside him, who was currently horrifying a guard with her best murderous grin.

Takumi sighed in relief. " _Finally_ , someone has some sense around here! I thought I was the only one who thought Corrin was-"  
"Corrin is _not_ behind this!" Hinoka interrupted him. "Anyway, the letter said that the prankster was _hiding out_ in Corrin's fortress, not _Corrin himself_."

"Could it be any _more_ obvious?!" The archer snapped. "It's clear that we're dealing with _Corrin_ here!"

Ryoma closed his eyes. "Fine, we should send someone to Fort Corrin."

At that, Saizou and Kagerou stood up again, dusting themselves off.

"…..Hinoka, send your retainers there," the Hoshidan king ordered. "Azama and Setsuna should suffice."

"I'll get onto it immediately!" The princess declared, looking to her younger brother. "I'll prove Corrin's innocent. Maybe you'll stop being so _hard_ on him then!"

Takumi stared at her in disbelief as she walked off. " _Azama_. The one person in the two kingdoms short of _Niles_ …."

"It's okay, Lord Takumi, I understand your pain."

The archer looked up, as Saizou was right behind him, arms folded.

"….Saizou? What are you-"  
"He and I have a proposition for you," Kagerou approached them both. "We also suspect that Corrin is involved in this. It seems plain that Lord Ryoma, as good of a liege as he is, simply won't see that Corrin may be a suspect. He is blinded by brotherly love."  
"I have been waiting _two years_ to find the person who humiliated us both at that beach party," the red-clad ninja remarked. "And now that we have a lead, I want to follow up on it."

Takumi breathed in deeply, closing his eyes for a moment to contain his glee at being vindicated.

"…..very well then. What's your proposition?"

* * *

 **END**


	9. Corrin Reacts to the FE14 Drabbles Blog!

**Corrin Reacts to the FE14 Drabbles Blog!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Jeez, this is the first time we've actually reacted to fanfiction in this volume! Which is only fair; as the esteemed** **robotortoise** **has kindly pointed my attention to, there aren't all that many Fates fanfics out there, and indeed I have actually procured most of the best fanfics in this section there are with my acquisitions from last chapter. The other half that I have not procured, I will attempt to later on, and of course as this fic progresses, no doubt, the more talented guys and gals here will produce some for me. Of course, that's for later.**

 **But before I do this, let's give a shout-out to the guy who made this chapter possible,** **P.T Piranha** **, or Mod Jakob as he's known over there, for getting in contact with the other mods to ask them if it was cool for me to this chapter (don't worry, most of them gave me their blessing) and of course the lovely mods over on the blog itself for being awesome and letting me write this! Give 'em a hand everyone and if any of you frequent it, give 'em a shout-out from Elf here and tell them they're awesome! Onwards with the chapter!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise Candace would get more characterisation.**

 **The stories in this chapter belong to their respective authors.**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

Corrin sighed, facepalming.

"…..so, he sent _you_ and Setsuna to go after me," he repeated as Azama stood in front of him with his usual cheery smile.

"I would have informed him how much of an utter failure that would've been, but I prefer teaching more practical lessons. You know how I am."

Kaze, who was leaning on a nearby wall, groaned, knowing full well how painful Azama's practical lessons were. Corrin snorted.

"And where is Setsuna now, then?"

"Her usual habitat."

…..

 _Elsewhere in Fort Corrin…._

"Huh," Setsuna blinked as she sat in a pit that smelled faintly of cheese. "….a trap of all places in Lord Corrin's castle."

She leaned against the wall of the pit, seemingly unbothered. "There could be worse traps…by trap standards, this one is rather warm and nice…..I could almost fall asleep…."

….

 _Back with Corrin and Azama…._

"…..how did she even fall in? I filled that pit back in myself," Corrin scratched his head. Azama shrugged.

"It is unfortunately a mystery known only to her," he sighed breathily. "It cannot be helped."

Kaze stood up. "I'll grab a ladder and help her out."

"And try to find where all the dirt and wood went," the prince requested. "Jakob's going to have a fit when he finds out."

The ninja nodded and left the room, leaving Corrin and Azama alone. The monk clapped his hands together.

"So! What next, o Glorious Leader?"

"Go back-wait, actually, don't go yet," the prince held his finger up. "I may have something for you to give to a few people. Odin, get in here, I need you for this too."

The dark mage sprung into the room, looking around excitedly. "What mission will you give me? Will I need to tap into the dark magicks of the void, drawn from the essence of the Sixtieth Darklord?!"

"I am not a gift-giver, milord-" Azama reminded Corrin, but the prince cut him off.

"Oh, don't worry," Corrin remarked with a smirk as he turned the laptop screen to show Azama and Odin exactly what he was about to give them.

It was a repository of stories, marked with the names of nearly everyone in the army, from Elise and Corrin to even the merchant Anna herself. There were even names neither monk nor dark mage recognised. Odin goggled at the vast number.

"Are we to distribute all of these stories?" Azama inquired. "The last I remembered, there is nobody by the name of Ophelia in our army."  
"And didn't Kana go mountain-climbing with Gunter?" Odin pointed out. "All these fanfics are going to be hard to give out…although Ophelia sounds like a good name- no, the _only_ name worthy of my line!"

 _'So Odin knows what a fanfic is. Interesting,'_ the prince kept a mental note of that. "…no. I don't want you two to give 'em all out. I found this yesterday and I've basically been reading a few of them. I don't know where they went about saying that Kana was my daughter, but I figured I'd leave those out for now. No, I've copied out a few of these stories. I need you to give them to the right recipients."

"Is this one of your grand plans, Corrin? Who's going together this time?" Odin inquired enthusiastically. "And are any of them bound for Lady Elise?"  
"No, of course not. I'm not going to target her! Anyway, no," the prince shook his head. "I need to make sure about a few things anyway. And the stories I picked…well, they'll be right up your alley, the both of you."

Azama's smile grew wider. "Oooh. This sounds enticing now. Do share."

Corrin produced several scrolls of parchment. "You two can read them. Don't worry, none of you are in them."

The dark mage and the monk took one scroll each, looking at them. Azama simply chuckled.

"Oh…..I envy you, Odin, I really do," the monk remarked. "To think you're the one who will get to see the look on Leo's face when he sees this one…."

* * *

That day, several scrolls found themselves in the letterboxes of various people in the army. When their recipients opened them, they found that these scrolls were in fact stories about them written by unknown authors with various titles. Here were their reactions when they read the stories in question.

 _Issues_

Leo's eyelid twitched as he read the story once. Then twice. Then thrice, just to make sure he was reading it right and this wasn't some sort of magic-induced illusion.

"...what…..kind of _abomination_ is this?!" The prince snapped, showing the scroll to a snickering Niles and Odin. "Who in their _right mind_ would _think_ this is a funny joke?!"

The archer grinned. "Oh, but milord, it _is_ a funny joke."

"Leo and the Lady Tomato! Truly, a pairing that shall endure through time immemorial!" Odin declared proudly, posing magnificently. Leo growled.

"I do _not_ have dinners with _tomatoes_! I'm not _obsessed_ with tomatoes! I don't even like tomatoes that much!"  
"What's that, then?" Niles pointed to a plate next to his liege, piled with half-eaten cherry tomatoes slathered in cheese and pepper, stacked up upon two other plates with the remains of the same. "Is that a snack for your lover, then? My my, milord, you didn't tell us, you sly dog! Perhaps you succeeded in wooing Princess Hinoka without our knowledge and shared some with her?"  
"S-shut up!" The prince cried, blushing at the mention of the Hoshidan princess. "I-I don't….w-who told you I had…what?!"

At the sight of the usually composed Leo lost for words, both Niles and Odin burst out into full laughter. Leo seethed irritably.

"…I swear, as soon as I find the person who wrote this….." the prince swore. "First tomatoes and now this…." The archer wiped his eye, clutching his belly as he laughed.

"You're not _denying_ it-"  
"W-who even told you I had…never mind!" He shook his head, staring at the parchment again. "….tomatoes! Seriously?!"

Odin grinned. "It's fine if you enjoy your vegetables, milord! You have to-pfffhahahahaha!"

"It's a _fruit,_ Odin! A _fruit_!" Leo reminded him harshly, before facepalming. "Oh, I am _not_ helping my case, am I?"  
"Nope!" Niles cheerily replied. "So _now_ we get to tell Hinoka she has to go compete for your affections with a fruit. I'm seeing the look on her face now…."

"C-compete for my affections?!" Leo sputtered. "What does _that_ mean!?"

 _'Oh, I_ _ **love**_ _working for the Order,'_ Niles thought to himself with a sadistic smirk. _'I would die to protect Lord Leo, but his embarrassment is_ _ **always**_ _so luscious…..'_

….

 _Not So Uptight_

Hinoka tilted her head at the scroll. "…was this meant to embarrass me?"

"We just thought you might like something nice to ready, milady," Azama explained. "Well…..I did. Setsuna has managed to get herself trapped in a pit again. Don't bother going after her; Kaze and Corrin are already helping her out."

Hinoka nodded. "I…..see. Well, okay. Thank you."

"…..that's all?" Now it was Azama's turn to tilt his head. "…no burning hatred? No desire to track down the author for this? Nothing?"  
"Why would I? It's well written enough," the princess admitted. "And it's accurate. My compliments to the author, whoever they are."

"…..you _are_ sure you are fine, right? You don't want to hunt down the author for spreading rumours about you and Prince Leo?" The monk inquired, his cheerful voice faltering as he realised something.

 _'It seems Corrin's plan failed against ONE person…..'_ Azama mused. _'To think Lady Hinoka was the_ one _person immune to his pranks...'_

Hinoka shook her head. "What would be the point? It's a nice story and all. I liked the part where they made me speak to my pegasus. I confess, I do that sometimes. It's comforting and I find it helps to calm us both down. And so what if Prince Leo falls for me? Is that a bad thing?"

"….well, I cannot make you feel something you don't." Azama conceded. "Well…..it was a pleasure, then!"

He walked off, seemingly disappointed.

The moment Azama was out of earshot, Hinoka squealed in delight and hugged the scroll to herself, before reading it eagerly.

"Heheheh…oh, I can _never_ let anyone know about my feelings…." The princess muttered to herself. "Azama would _never_ let me hear the end of it, and anyway, there's no way he'd like someone like me..."

…..

 _Huge Tracts of Land_

Kagerou and Kaze were busy holding Saizou back, one at each arm, as the red-clad ninja prepared to storm out of the door.

"I swear, as soon as I find that blasted prankster!" Saizou roared. "Who does he take me for, some sort of dirty pervert?! This is _no_ joke! He's taunting us, Kagerou! Let me find him!"

"Brother, it's just a story!" Kaze reassured him. "Don't take it personally! Although I was a _bit_ stupid in it for implying I would….well, do _that_ with Lady Camilla…."

"He's _insinuating_ that I would be so low as to ask around something like _that_!"

Kagerou sighed, exasperated; this was clearly not the first time-nor would it be the last-that her partner would storm off half-cocked. "Leave it, Saizou, it's not worth it. You don't even know _who_ wrote it. It's just a story."

The green-clad ninja shook his head. "You used to date my brother and you're still not used to this?"

"I know how he is when he takes offense," the female ninja replied. "He's still looking for the person responsible for what happened at the beach party two years ago."

"And if I _did_ do _that_ with Kagerou, I would _certainly_ not be stupid enough to brag about it!" The red-clad ninja snapped. "Let me go! I'm going to find that prankster and shove this scroll up his-"

"His what?" Ryoma poked his head into the room, seeing his two retainers and Kaze. "….am I missing something?"  
"Nothing, milord!" Kaze called out, smiling. "Just, erm, keep going!"

The Hoshidan king took one look at the furious expression on Saizou's face and uttered a quick prayer for the unfortunate soul who had attracted his retainer's wrath, before nodding. "Alright then." He walked off. As much of a hardened and skilled warrior Ryoma was, he still shuddered to think what kind of painful death Saizou likely had in store for whoever had angered him this time.

Kaze sighed. "I don't think _anyone_ would be arrogant enough to brag about touching Lady Camilla's breasts in this army, anyway."

 _'For one, Corrin would be right on it,'_ he refused to finish the sentence. _'If he was here to see this, I have a feeling he'd laugh himself sick.'_

* * *

 _Maybe I'll Forgive You_

Camilla smiled as she read the scroll. "Don't you find this cute, Beruka dear?"

"…..this is a ridiculous story," Beruka remarked, rubbing the back of her head. Behind her, Benny was sitting on a chair that he entirely dwarfed, knitting a fluffy scarf. "I can't knit."

The princess frowned. "Oh, come on, don't be so pessimistic. You can learn. I would find it _cute_ if you gave out scarves to little children in town…."

"It's nice for making sweaters in the Nohrian winters," Benny chimed in, raising the scarf in his hand. "Here."

"B-Benny, not i-in front of Lady Camilla!" Beruka hastily replied, blushing. Camilla giggled.

"Oh? Has my stoic retainer been defrosted?"

"S-sorry, I forgot," the knight put the scarf back, looking away guiltily. The princess sighed happily.

"Oh, my, my. I wish I was there when this relationship became a thing….." Camilla mused. "How did you say you got together again?"

"Considering we found them, sopping wet, with their faces as red as tomatoes, I think we can guess the Antic Order got to them," Selena pointed out from the corner. "Lucky that Corrin found them first."

 _'Too lucky, in fact_.'

"I have not been defrosted…..I have simply reassessed my priorities." Beruka replied flatly. "I will assure you that I am still-"  
"You know, if you two want to spend time far away from the castle, I know a few nice places over in Hoshido where people won't bother you…." Camilla pointed out with a smile. "Why, I know this-"  
Beruka blinked rapidly at her. "T-this is not an appropriate conversation to be making, Lady Camilla!"

 _'Oh, Niles is right, teasing people is fun!'_ The princess concluded, enjoying the rise that the unusually flustered Beruka had gotten from her poking. Selena and Benny just sighed at the sight, shaking their heads exasperatedly.

 _Northern Fortress Training Video_

"Perhaps we should look into a similar training program for our own fortress," Jakob rubbed his chin, reading the scroll. Felicia frowned at him.

"T-that's not funny! I'm not that clumsy!" The maid protested. "I only poured tea on Corrin….twice this week….."

"….why am I the one who gets depicted as the worst servant?" Flora complained. "…..I mean, I _genuinely_ didn't want to be here, but…..well, you can understand. That doesn't mean I didn't try my best."

Jakob frowned. "Perhaps, perhaps…."

"…..if this was more accurate, Corrin and I would have spoken more," Flora pointed out. "I…well, perhaps now is not the time to be speaking about that."

The butler continued reading the scroll. "….yes, very interesting ideas. Perhaps I should install these rules in place for training servants. A training regimen to weed out the weak is the only suitable regimen for the high standards Lord Corrin demands!"  
"B-But didn't Corrin say he didn't want any more servants? Or any, really?" Felicia pointed out.

Flora nodded. "If I am to be honest, the only reason Corrin has not let us go is probably because he can't take care of an entire palace himself, even with what he's learned living in the Outrealms. If what he told us was correct, I doubt a 'one room apartment' would be able to compare to a palace like this one."

"I? Leave Lord Corrin? The kingdoms would fall!" Jakob gasped, seemingly offended at the idea of leaving his liege.

"Yeah…..I-I wouldn't leave him either," Felicia admitted. "…..and of course…..it's nice to live in a palace with your best friends."

"….that, I can agree to," Flora replied, nodding. Jakob sighed, conceding the point.

"Still, such a training regimen doesn't seem like a bad idea."

"…..I recognise this exact sequence of events," the blue-haired girl pointed out. "…..it's from one of those Outrealm….cartoons, Corrin called it."

"A cartoon?"

"Something like a story with moving pictures. For children."

At that, Jakob blanched. "T-this was intended for children? Why? Who would waste such an exquisite idea for children's stories?!"

…..

 _First Steps_

"….Corrin, did you really think I was going to be embarrassed by this one?" Azura raised an eyebrow at the prince, who shrugged.

"…..I thought it was worth a shot."

The songstress chuckled. "…..well, it's certainly amusing. I still do not know why we're raising a baby Kana together, although Shigure is a good name for a boy, I must confess…."

"Yeah, I think that's a different Kana from our Kana," Corrin explained. "I doubt our Kana's my child anyway. As far as I know, I've never had children and she's far too old."

"…it is a cute story, though," Azura admitted. "Even if it is somewhat odd. Of course, I am a little suspicious about something."

"About?"

"Why did you show me this story? Is it because you intend to confess?" Azura teased, smirking. Corrin rolled his eyes, sighing. "Oh, please, Azura. If I was going to confess to you, I wouldn't do it over a fanfic. What, have you been dreaming about this day, Azura? Any burning desire to have my heart forever?"  
"I'm not the one who procured a fanfic involving you and I raising children together, Corrin," the songstress retorted. "If you were anyone else, I'd think you were trying to tell me something. But on a serious note, why? I hear you've been sending fics to everyone in the kingdoms."

"This one was just for kicks, I'll admit that," Corrin conceded. "But the others…..well, I was hoping to probe their reactions."

"Probe their reactions?"  
The prince nodded to confirm it. "It'd be useful to know how my lovely relatives and friends would react to embarrassment or something adorable, just in case I need that for a scheme. So far, I know that Saizou's easy to piss off, Leo's easily flustered even if he acts serious, Hinoka definitely crushes on him, Camilla's a shipper and that Jakob seriously thinks _Spongebob_ is a good role model for training people."

"That cartoon you were telling me about? The one with the sponge in a pineapple under the sea?"

"Yes, that one."

Azura snorted. "That's…a little cute, I must say."

"Well, that'll be handy somehow, hopefully," the prince clapped. "So…you wanna read some more fanfic?"  
"Sure, why not?"

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Woo. It was surprisingly hard to choose which fics were going to appear in this one. I ended up having to do a bit of reshuffling due to revision and changing one of the chosen fics, as well as having to rewrite one of the sections due to it being rather bad originally (not that any of these are particularly good). Anyway, next episode, Corrin Reacts to Sick Episodes! So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, thoughts, reviews and suggestions, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	10. Corrin Reacts to Sick Episodes, Part 1!

**Corrin Reacts to Sick Episodes, Part 1!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to** **Corrin Reacts** **! Well, well, I've been busy with exams and madness and other commitments; for you RWBY fans I barely managed to get a chapter of** **Weiss Reacts** **out the other day, but I will try to keep this going. At the time of writing (although not at the time of submission, as I'll probably be uploading this afterwards), I'm writing this after hours of revision for my final paper and after that, I'm home free! Anyway, let's get on with this chapter!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise we would have an anime adaptation of Fates. (And Flora would be a main character.)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Elise," Flora started, wiping off the light dusting of flour on her cheeks as she looked down at the guilty-looking princess, who had her hands behind her back and looked guiltily aside. Elise was wearing a pink apron with heart patterns, and her whole apron and her dress were slathered in white powder. "What did I tell you about baking?"  
"Eheheheheh….." Elise chuckled nervously. "I….uh….thought I got it right this time…."

Behind her, the castle's kitchen was a mess. Although the princess had succeeded in creating a passable sponge cake, which was sitting squat on the counter, slathered with cream and plastered with jam, the rest of the kitchen was an absolute mess, with flour, cream, milk and eggs splattered everywhere. Felicia was busy taming the roaring oven with a wet cloth and an icy wind.

"….in future, please ask someone else to supervise you," the maid warned. "Please, get yourself cleaned up and make sure Corrin never sees this or you in this state. Do not worry, we will clean this mess up."

The princess simply nodded and scurried out of the kitchen, leaving the sisters alone. Flora sighed, leaning on the counter before suddenly clutching her head.

"Ah…." The maid closed her eyes, exhaling and wincing. Felicia rushed over to her, looking over her sister concernedly.

"Flora, are you okay?"

"Just a slight headache," she replied, rubbing her temple before shaking her head. "I'll be fine."

Felicia frowned. "You're always working yourself too hard."  
"I'm just doing as any maid would do," Flora curtly replied. "I must do my best, after all."

"I'd agree, but even _Corrin_ 's asking you to take more breaks," her sister pointed out. "Why do you think he's always dragging you in to play games with him?"  
The blue-haired maid nodded, understanding her point. "I know, I know. I just….it wouldn't feel right if I were to simply _shirk_ my duties to him."

"I know, I know…." Her pink-haired sister replied, placing a hand on her shoulder and sighing. "But still, Flora, you'll make yourself sick if you keep working yourself too hard."

"…I'll…achoo!" Flora sneezed, blinking as she sniffled and rubbed her nose with a handkerchief. Felicia's hand immediately flew to her sister's forehead, feeling it with the back of her hand.

"A-are you okay?!" Felicia asked frantically. "Are you ill? Do you feel sick? You might be coming down with a cold!"

The maid sighed, closing her eyes as she wiped a bit of flour off the tip of her nose. "I'm fine, it was merely the huge amount of flour Elise managed to scatter everywhere that I had to clean up. Now if you excuse me, I must go off to clean the-"  
"Nooooope!" Felicia crossed her arms, trying to look as firm as possible; of course, for all onlookers, this resembled a mouse attempting to look tough in the face of a large cat. "No! You stay _right_ here! You're taking a break!"

The blue-haired maid stood up. "But I must-"  
"Nope!" The maid replied, barring Flora from moving.  
"Felicia, don't be-"  
"No!" The maid replied, shaking her head. "Corrin told me to make sure you took breaks, and so I will. You're taking a break _right_ now!"

"…thank you for your concern, Felicia, but I really must-" Flora held up her finger, but Felicia had already scurried out the door. Flora sighed, frowning.

"I didn't want her to go to so much effort for me…..I hope Corrin doesn't take this too far," the maid uttered to nobody in particular, before taking a wet dishrag and taking it to the spilled flour on the counter.

* * *

 _In Corrin's office…._

"You know, I was going to talk to you guys about that," Corrin remarked as Felicia stood in front of his desk, having just explained what happened in the kitchen. She looked down at the prince, curious.

"You were?"

"I thought Flora needed a break from the madness around here, and Izana owes me for showing him what Hoshidan hair oil does for his hair anyway," he explained before handing over two scrolls. "Show these to Izana when you get to Izumo."

"U-uwah?! You're sending us to Izumo? Why?" Felicia looked confused. Corrin smiled.

"You two are taking leave for the next two days, on me. I figured you two needed some time away from the stress, so I talked to Izana and he said you guys could spend a day or two getting pampered at the hot springs there. So uh….yeah, I hope you two have fun!"

"W-what about you?" Felicia inquired concernedly. "Aren't you worried? You might-"  
"Oh, you two worry too much," Corrin waved her off. "I'll be _fine_. I can hold the fort down here, I did it in the Outrealms. Besides, it's only two days. You two deserve it."

Felicia smiled, giggling. "Thanks! I….I-I'll tell Flora immediately!" With that, she scurried out of the room, leaving Corrin alone. The prince sighed, shaking his head.

"…good gods, Flora," he remarked good-naturedly. "You're probably one of my closest friends, but I'll be damned if you need a break…."

Suddenly, Corrin sneezed. The prince blinked rapidly, looking around. "…hoo. That was a strong sneeze-"

He sneezed again. The prince closed his eyes, groaning as he clutched his burning forehead.

"Oooh…..dammit…." He uttered, lowering his head onto his table and shutting his eyes as a fever came on, his forehead burning up like a roaring fire.

…..

 _Half an hour later…._

"I hope you two have fun in Izumo," Azura called out to Felicia and Flora as the two stood near the portal leaving the Astral Realm into Izana's duchy, carrying enough clothes for a night's stay. The blue-haired maid looked over to Felicia.

"Are you sure it's okay for us to leave? Maybe Corrin has something for us to do…." Flora inquired, at least in part hoping for some sort of command.

Felicia smiled reassuringly. "Trust me, Corrin set this all up for us! He's been meaning to do this for you- well, us, but mainly you."

"Oh? All of this is for you, Flora?" Azura smirked teasingly, wagging her finger at her sister. "Oh, my, my. I didn't think you and Corrin were so close. Congratulations, when can I expect an invitation to the wedding?"

Flora's eyes widened, before she shook her head frantically. "D-don't say such things! Besides, it would be i-improper for a prince to marry his maid….."

"Ah, that's right, you like Jakob more," the songstress remembered, sighing. "Ah, well. That would've made for a rather romantic story. That leaves Corrin all for me, then, hm?"

Felicia shook her head, chuckling. "Azura, you're such a tease….."

"Well, have a good two days, I suppose," the songstress replied, nodding curtly at them. The maids waved back, before walking through the portal and heading into Izumo.

After a moment, Azura looked back towards the fort. "….well, what to do now? I wonder why Corrin didn't see them-"

Suddenly, Jakob appeared in the entrance hall, looking gravely at the songstress. At that, all levity left her mind.

"…..Jakob? What is the problem? What's happened?"

"As Felicia would say," the butler started, looking troubled. "We've got trouble."

…..

 _Corrin's bedroom…._

"I'm….achoo! I'm fine….r-really…." Corrin uttered, his face red with fever and his voice trembling as he was bundled in blankets on his bed, with Kaze, Silas and Mozu standing around him, looking on concernedly. Azura and Jakob frowned at the sight. The butler crossed his arms, sighing disapprovingly.

"You are most certainly _not_ , Lord Corrin," the butler replied. "Your fever was high and you were moaning when I found you in your office."

"I-is he going to be alright?" Mozu inquired worriedly. "I-I can brew something up if needed!"

Jakob nodded curtly. "Lord Corrin is hardly the type to be defeated by a mere illness. There's nothing much wrong with him, anyway; he's simply overworked himself. A good few days rest will do him good."  
"I-I'll make some medicine for him right away!" The villager cried, but Corrin propped himself up in bed.

"W-wait! Don't!" The prince cried out, before breaking out into a fit of coughing. "P-please, Mozu. There's….Nestrian scandals that need sorting."

"Nestrian scandals" was another codeword, similar to 'Nohrian partridges', that signalled that Antic Order business was afoot. In this case, 'Nestrian scandals' signalled to anyone in the Order that Corrin was down and needed other people to take over for him temporarily.

Mozu frowned as she processed the codeword. "…..Corrin, this is-"

"Nestrian scandals?" Jakob inquired. "That's….rather absurd. Is that some sort of codeword?"  
"He's delirious from illness," Kaze interceded for him. The butler nodded, seeming smug looking over to his liege.

"And that is why _I_ must take care of him!" Jakob explained. "Do not fear, Lord Corrin, I will-"  
"I am… _achoo_! Ordering you to go take care of affairs in the house as…. _achoo_! Usual!" The prince ordered. Jakob stared at him as if he was insane.

"B-but, Lord Corrin, in your condition-"  
"Don't worry, we'll handle him," Silas offered, giving him a thumbs up. "My partner here's in good hands!"

Jakob breathed heavily, sighing. "…..I suppose, I'll entrust him to you. But….if I am to find Lord Corrin in worse condition than when I entrusted him to you…..remember that I make your food."

With that, the butler walked out, leaving the others alone with Corrin. Azura looked over to him.

"Corrin," the songstress frowned as she went over to feel Corrin's forehead, flinching as the heat made itself apparent. "Why? Jakob's better than any of us at taking care of you."

The prince wheezed. "Well, I still…need you guys to carry on the work of the wicked….we still need to….plan for Flora and Jakob…we still need to-"  
"Just stay in bed, alright?" Azura looked down at him, concerned for her friend's health. "I'll handle things. Don't strain yourself."

"…..thanks," Corrin feverishly smiled at her, before wheezing again. Silas went to his side, feeling his forehead.

"Gods, Corrin….you're really ill," the cavalier noted, before smiling at Azura. "Don't worry, we've got him."

Azura seemed reluctant to leave his side as she stepped back, looking over at the ninja and the cavalier, before closing her eyes, conceding the point.

"Alright then. I'll assume that the appropriate plans are in your office, Corrin." With that, the songstress left his bedroom, leaving Mozu, Kaze and Silas alone with their stricken friend.

"…Mozu…." Corrin uttered. "I…uh….need you to-achoo! I need you to go help Azura. T-there's a thing that I have planned that I need you to help Azura with."

The villager exhaled sharply. "A-Are you sure? I can help. I know quite a lot of good medicines for when people get ill like this…"

"Trust me, I'm-achoo! A half-dragon, I've handled worse," Corrin smiled as confidently as he could before Mozu frowned, shaking her head.

"Alright…..if you insist…." The villager walked out to look for Azura, leaving Silas and Kaze. Both men looked between each other, taking a seat next to Corrin, one on each side.

Silas rubbed his hands. "Alright! So, Partner, how're you feeling?"

"…..a question, before we try to take care of him," Kaze raised his finger. "….Silas, have you ever taken care of a sick person before?"

At that, the cavalier's enthusiasm faded. "…..no. No, I haven't."

"Ah," the ninja nodded. "This should be a learning experience for both of us then."

"…. _both_ of you?" Corrin looked up concernedly. Kaze frowned slightly.

"I…have also never taken care of someone while they were ill, I'll confess. Saizou never really provided many opportunities for me to train that particular skill," the ninja admitted. "Still, it can't be that hard, right?"

The prince groaned in anticipation of what he knew was coming. "Oh, I see where this is-achoo!"

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Izumo…._

"Weeeeelcome to Hotel Izana!" Izana cheerfully announced as he showed Flora and Felicia around the palace, walking through the . "I hope you'll enjoy your stay, you two! How's my homie?"

"…homie?" Felicia looked at him confusedly. The archduke clapped his hands together, grinning.

"Oh, Corrin regaled me with the slang of the Outrealms," he explained. "My homie Corrin just taught me all that sweet street-talk, yo."

Flora looked aside. "I don't know what all of that meant, and I'm still cringing."

"Well, anyway. I'll show you two to your rooms for the night, but first, I'll have to make sure it's all okay for you to stay in? After all, you're honoured guests, and I can't be having my crib lookin' bad for the ladies."

Felicia and Flora both cringed. Izana's smile faltered only slightly.

"Ah…..Corrin did say it'd be hard to appreciate this next trend," the archduke conceded. "Oh well. I'll be back in a jiffy!"

With that, Izana left the two alone, as Felicia sighed, easing up without the eccentricity of their friend.

"Well, Izana's not changed since we last saw him!" The pink-haired maid mused, giggling. "He's always so funny…..even if he does act a little weird…..Flora?"

The blue-haired woman looked somewhat concerned. "…..I feel as if I should've stayed at the fort."  
"Oh? Why?"

"I feel as if something…..bad is going to happen," Flora uttered, shuddering. "I honestly can't put my finger on it, but-"  
"Oh, don't worry about it, they're probably all fine!" Felicia waved it off. "Corrin's probably working on…..well, whatever he works on in the day…." She was careful to avoid the fact that Corrin was most likely working on pairing Jakob and Flora together. "…and everyone else is probably fine. We should just enjoy our day here."

"….you're probably right," Flora sighed, smiling. "It's just a bad feeling. It'll pass. I should….enjoy myself. Thank you, Felicia, I needed that."

Felicia smiled back. "See? We'll have fun relaxing! Just don't think about it."

….

Azura rubbed her temples, looking absolutely exasperated. "…oh, gods help us."  
Mozu gulped. "Uh-huh. Corrin had a lot of work before him…."

Laid in front of the two women was a pile of papers, or what Corrin was working on before he'd fallen ill, along with the laptop he had also been working on in case his papers were stolen or lost. These all detailed various plans he had to deal with everyone and every single potential rival he knew of thus far; plans to deal with Takumi, with Xander, with Camilla and even dealing with Shura, one of the very few who condoned the antics- he'd even taught Corrin some himself, though that was a story for another time. Alongside these plans were more plans, including one to get Flora and Jakob to attend the upcoming Hoshidan Festival of Stars together. That particular one was rather elaborate.

"Corrin wants us to work on all this?" Mozu inquired, frowning. "I….uh I don't think we'll be able to do this _all_."

"It should be fine, hopefully," Azura reassured her, reading through one of the papers. "Alright, this one's the list of things he had planned for today. We should just go through the schedule and see what we can do. Alright….first one is…hm, ah. He needs you to go collect something from…..Oboro's house?"

"D-do you know where that is? I'd actually meant to come over there and, uh, take her up on her fashion lessons…." The villager confessed. After all, she still owed Oboro thanks anyway for the absolutely stunning dress she'd made for her during the war.

"Why did he go to Oboro's house?" Azura asked more to herself, tilting her head confusedly. "He never told me."

"Why would you want to know?" Mozu looked over at her curiously. The songstress shrugged.

"I don't know. Just curious, I suppose," she replied. "….hm. Well, I can see how Corrin worked himself sick like this if he gave himself so much work to do. Wait, wait…..huh? Oh, this one's for you, Mozu."

The villager took the parchment, looking at it curiously. "…..perfume? He wants me to make perfume?"

"Perhaps he wishes to impress a girl," Azura mused, chuckling. "I envy the lucky girl who gets it."

Mozu pursed her lips, thinking carefully. "…I-I'm not sure I can make perfume. I-I mean, I know how to make medicine a-and smoke bombs and sleeping potions, but perfume? Shouldn't he go to Oboro for that?"  
"He probably trusts you more," Azura pointed out. "Oboro might say something to Takumi, for one."

The younger woman sighed, reading the list again, looking down to see a list of ingredients. "I'll…..see what I can do. So, you're heading to Oboro's house to get whatever Corrin needs from there and I'll find the stuff for the perfume, right?"  
"I suppose that's the plan," the songstress said as she rolled up the parchment. "Alright, then. Shall we be off?"

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Castle Shirasagi…._

"…are you sure this is a good plan?" Takumi looked around outside the door to his room, before sliding it across, satisfied that there was nobody watching them. Kagerou and Saizou nodded.

"Of course," the red-clad ninja calmly replied.

The prince nodded. "I'm just concerned Ryoma will interfere."

"He won't," Kagerou replied. "He doesn't know. We asked for a day of leave."

Saizou nodded, confirming his partner's account. "He wanted us to take more. We can hardly do that with this mischief-making prankster around, so we'll use this day to begin our investigation. Then finally, we'll settle this debate."

Takumi smiled confidently. "Excellent. Finally, they'll listen to me and _maybe_ Corrin will be exposed for the prankster he is."

Kagerou carefully adjusted the collar of her clothing. "Yes, we will, but it's not our part to punish the innocent until they're proven guilty. We're not going to do anything today, just to scope out the place and to ensure we, as they say, are not barking up the wrong tree. Isn't that right, Saizou?"  
"…fine," her partner conceded with a sigh, closing his eye as he sat on a chair, adjusting his gauntlets. Kagerou seemed satisfied with the answer.

Takumi frowned. "I never did figure out why _you_ two have particular stake in finding out if Corrin was guilty. It can't _possibly_ just be because of what happened two years ago at the beach."

"You know how Hoshidan names have strange translations in Nohr?" Kagerou asked with an exasperated tone to her voice. "Ours are not so different; just that our names lack the 'u'. We never used them when we worked with the Nohrians, but, somehow Niles got hold of the translations and-"

"Oh," the prince nodded. He understood. "Yes, I can see why that'd be irritating."  
"My name is _not_ some sort of plaything to be insulted!" Saizou growled indignantly. "You have _no_ idea how humiliating it was to have that _gadfly_ constantly mangle my name. That name was passed down our family for _generations_!"

"…..so you want to get back at Corrin because you think he gave Niles your names so he could make fun of you," Takumi repeated. Even with his patent dislike of Corrin's antics, even he found this rather petty, and it showed on his face.

Kagerou closed her eyes. "There are other reasons, but Saizou prefers to motivate himself with the honor of avenging the insults done to him."

"That's because we are _ninja_ , and it is _ridiculous_ that some clown is capable of making fools of us!" Saizou hissed. "Why, we're delaying right now! We don't know what sort of prank that prankster, whether he be Corrin or not, is planning right now…."

….

Corrin groaned, sniffling in bed as he squirmed with the fever he was suffering from and his sheer exasperation from Silas and Kaze in front of him.

"I am not sure that is how medicine is made," Kaze sniffed the frothing cup of broth in the cavalier's hands, which was bubbling with _something_. It didn't even look remotely like medicine; it resembled sickly green oatmeal more than anything. Silas frowned.

"I took this recipe from my parents! One hundred percent guaranteed to make you feel better!"

' _If your father was Gunter, I can understand where you learned that from,'_ the prince thought to himself. Silas approached him, placing a spoon in the broth. Corrin swore he saw the spoon sizzle as it was placed in, placing it on a tray on the prince's lap.

"Well, come on, partner! Drink up!" The cavalier gestured to the medicine. Corrin resisted the urge to cringe, as did Kaze, who waited with bated breath.

'… _..you know what, you owe me for this, Silas. I seriously think drinking this will make me feel_ _ **worse**_ , _but…..Silas is my friend. Can't disappoint him.'_

The prince uttered out a quick "Thank you" and as slowly as possible, spooned a glob of the broth into his mouth.

It tasted acrid, bitter and salty all at once, and the glob felt as if there was something squirming inside. The prince forced the spoonful down with a painful gulp. Almost instantly, his stomach churned; if the illness had yet to make him feel nauseous, it did now. He almost felt his fever flare up.

Corrin shuddered. Silas faltered, sighing.  
"…that bad, huh?" The cavalier inquired sadly, taking the medicine away. "Kaze, uh…..your turn, I guess."

"I followed a recipe our father taught me," the ninja explained as he placed a cup of relatively normal-looking viscous medicine in front of his friend. "I believe this should make you feel far better."

' _Oh, thank the gods, at least Kaze should be able to make something well, right?'_

"Thank you….." Corrin hastily thanked his friend before taking the medicine and quickly downing it.

If Silas' attempt at making medicine was bad, Kaze's was _worse_. Corrin, in the moment before the pain hit, silently thanked the gods that they had Sakura and Elise in charge of healing the wounded during the war.

His throat felt scoured and seared, almost as if a fire had begun raging within them. Corrin was no apothecary, but he was sure that medicine was not supposed to _harm_ the patient unnecessarily- and a cold like this did _not_ necessitate this.

' _Gods…what are these two doing?!'_

"It doesn't seem that improved his condition…" Kaze noted, looking concernedly at the pained Corrin. "Are you okay?"  
"J-just….fine…." The prince uttered out. Silas rubbed his chin, thinking carefully.

"…..you know, I think we'll need something stronger if he's this sick….."

' _I'm not even that sick, but drinking these medicines will do me in before the cold does!'_

"Perhaps a little bedrest might help him more," Kaze suggested helpfully. "And some food to keep his strength up with."

"Yeah!" Silas nodded in agreement, looking over to the prince. "Don't worry, Corrin, we'll have you back on your feet soon enough!"

' _Oh,'_ Corrin's eyes widened in fear at the mention of food. _'Oh no.'_

* * *

 **To be continued…..**

* * *

 **A/N: Welp, Corrin's doomed, things are happening, and I've finally gotten around to starting the madness. Woo! What's going to happen? Who knows?**

 **Oh, and a huge announcement. I've racked my brain for quite a bit, what with all the fics I'm balancing around and college work and just having some free time to myself not taken up by writing, so I've drawn up a tentative schedule for my fic updates that'll take effect in August; the reason I say that is because it's rather hectic right now both at college and out and also because for most of July, I'll actually be in Austria, hanging out with family and doing some projects for school.**

 **Anyway, you guys can see the fic update schedule in my profile; just remove the spaces in the URL near the bottom of my profile and it should show you what my schedule from August onwards should be. For some of you, it'll come as a** _ **huge**_ **surprise what I've got planned. I think some of you already know, if you've been rooting through my profile already. I'll also be posting this announcement over in** **Lucina Reacts** **and** **Weiss Reacts** **for anyone who doesn't follow this so they'll get to know too.**

 **Anyway, so, I hope you enjoyed that, see your ideas, comments, suggestions, criticisms, reviews and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	11. Corrin Reacts to Sick Episodes, Part 2!

**Corrin Reacts to Sick Episodes, Part 2!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Welp. Corrin's screwed, nobody can tell if Azura wants Corrin or not, Flora is somewhere else and everything is doomed. What else is new? Oh, right, and of course- this will be announced in the other fics when they're updated- there are now plans for a crossover between all** _ **four**_ **of the Reactsverse fics. So,** **Weiss Reacts** **,** **Lucina Reacts** **,** **Corrin Reacts** **and** **Homura Reacts** **will be crossed over. I haven't finalised everything yet, but well….we'll see, no? Of course, a** **Lucina Reacts** **and** **Corrin Reacts** **crossover will come first, but enough about that, let's get on with the chapter.**

 **After all, all of you Azurrin fans need your shipbait. :3**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise there would be a Benkei expy in Hoshido. (Rather Benkei than Yukimura, amirite.)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

 _Oboro's House, Hoshido…._

"…You know I can't just hand this thing over to you, right?" Oboro responded, a hand on her hip and a box in her other arm as she looked over at Azura and Mozu, currently standing outside her door looking sheepishly around the place. "Where's Corrin? He told me I could only give this to him."

"Corrin's ill," Azura explained, looking quite concerned. "He's overworked himself into a fever."

Oboro seemed surprised. "Oh. Um….I didn't know that. Sorry. Err…if that's the case-"

"What _did_ Corrin do here with you, anyway?" the songstress inquired, looking curiously at her. Mozu looked up at her.  
"You've been curious about that the whole day."

"…you know, I'm not _dating_ Corrin, if that's what you mean," the seamstress chuckled as she smirked. "We're just friends. I was only repaying a favour."

Azura's expression didn't visibly change at the insinuation she had feelings for the prince. "Do you mind if I ask what?"  
"He said I couldn't tell you."

"Why not? Is it secret? Does it involve me?"  
"He said that it was _really_ important and that telling you would ruin the whole thing," Oboro replied, "His words, not mine. I think whoever's going to get it's _really_ lucky, though."

"Can I at least know what it is?" Azura asked, at which Oboro shook her head.

"Sorry, can't tell you. Corrin's even asked Orochi to come over and put a curse on it so that if anyone opens it but him or the person he's giving it to…..well, I don't know, but knowing those two, we're not going to live it down."

"And of course there's no way _Orochi_ 's going to tell me, either…." The songstress closed her eyes, sighing. The seamstress passed over the box to Azura, who took it and felt it.

The box's contents, whatever they were, were rather light and not at all hard. It was hard to say what it was, though, especially considering Corrin was the one who had whatever it was commissioned.

"Well, tell Corrin I hope he gets better soon, alright? Tell him Oboro said hi!" She waved at them as they walked away from the door.

"I wonder why Corrin wants to keep whatever this is so secret….." Mozu frowned as she strolled alongside Azura. The songstress hefted the box in her hands, seemingly testing the weight.

"Well….if Corrin insists so much on keeping the contents of this box secret, I should respect that," Azura remarked. "Nonetheless…I wonder what kind of antic he's got planned that needs this thing to stay secret."  
"Maybe it's some secret invisibility cloak, like in those stories they used to tell me when I was a child…." The villager suggested, looking around thoughtfully. "Corrin could use those to hide from people and lay traps."

Azura snorted, chuckling. "I don't think anyone would trust Corrin with an invisibility cloak. The gods forbid, he might walk into someone in the baths. I wouldn't know what to do in _that_ situation…."  
"…..I can never tell if you're joking or not, when it comes to you and Corrin's…..e-erm, relationship," Mozu remarked exasperatedly, looking down and away from her. The songstress replied with an enigmatic smile.

"If Corrin and I were lovers, I assure you I would have far better ideas of what to do with him while he's sick than do his errands for him."

The villager's eyes widened and a dusting of pink crossed her freckled cheeks. "A-Azura!"

"What? So getting him some medicine is unacceptable?" The songstress replied with a teasing smirk. "My, my, Mozu."

Mozu's eyes narrowed as she looked rather unamused by the jest. "…Don't say such things. People might take it the wrong way."

"They are free to take it however they please," Azura curtly retorted. "For all they know, I could be thinking about the various ways Corrin and I could-"  
"A-Azura!"

The songstress chuckled teasingly. "My, I really do enjoy this. Now, should we split apart here? I suppose you still need to collect the perfume ingredients."

"Ah! Right!" The villager nodded hurriedly. "I guess we just meet back at the castle? I still need to find the Izumian petunias for it, anyway….."

As the pair had their discussion, a nearby bush with an oddly-shaped bough shook, as the topmost bough stuck up to reveal a pair of eyes belonging to the crown prince Takumi.

"….invisibility cloak…" the prince muttered irritably. Just below him, Saizou and Kagerou propped themselves up, peering over the bush at the songstress and villager.

"That would be beyond even the capability of master ninja to detect," the female ninja uttered, shocked. Saizou clenched his fist, growling.

"So, this is his plan, to avoid our sight by magical trickery. That devious weasel…."

"….and he's probably using that perfume as a cover-up for it," Takumi uttered as his eyes followed the now-departing Mozu. "We should split up. Clearly, Corrin has something devious planned at his fort, so you two should head there, you can most effectively head off any traps he has set. I'll follow Mozu and ensure that she doesn't get the ingredients for the undoubtedly stupid prank he's got planned."

Kagerou nodded, before sighing. "…..this is a lot of effort to be going to stop a prankster who we don't even know is Corrin yet."

"My honor was compromised!" Saizou hissed determinedly. "I cannot let that-"  
"Even _I'll_ admit that's a stupid reason to be going against him," Takumi pointed out. "However, I do intend to prove once and for all that Corrin is not the _saint_ that Hinoka, Ryoma and Sakura intend on making him out to be!"

"The gods know, he might be planning some sort of scheme right now!" Saizou declared. "We must go now and make sure we can put a stop to him!"

The sole female of the trio simply closed her eyes, rubbing her temples. ' _Yare yare daze_ …..'

Of course, this thought remained unvoiced, for politeness reasons; a proper lady such as her could not be seen voicing such thoughts in such a way. Regardless, the sentiment was there.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, at Fort Corrin…._

Of course, Corrin, Kaze and Silas were not planning any sort of evil scheme. Far from it, even.

Instead, the prince was completely bedridden from a combination of illness and the horrible 'medicine' both of his friends had managed to give him. Meanwhile, the ninja and cavalier were in the heart of the fort, attempting to figure out that which had eluded even the likes of Felicia, who had dwelt in this very room for months attempting to learn the secrets at the heart of this elusive temple.

The elusive, delicate and almost-magical kitchen stove.

"…I seriously don't understand how you use this thing," Silas scratched his head, examining the furnace with a curious eye. Kaze crossed his arms, staring at him strangely.

"You…..don't know how to use a stove?"  
"Hey, I tried, alright? I only had to cook it in a pot over a fire back during the war, and before then, err….I never really did any cooking," the cavalier confessed sheepishly. "I wanted to, but Father said nobles shouldn't have to cook their own food."

The ninja's eyes narrowed. "I'm guessing he taught you how to make medicine too, huh."

"Hey, I'm not the one who nearly burned his throat feeding him medicine!" Silas retorted snappily, before sighing and returning his look towards the stove. "Ah, dammit. I've got to do this! For Corrin!"

"Alright, alright, let me help you," Kaze offered, stepping towards the stove. "Besides, you're not a bad cook, right? You did take mess duty once or twice during the war."  
"Heh, yeah," the cavalier smiled, cracking his knuckles. "How bad could this be, right? It's just some soup."  
Kaze suddenly shuddered. "…is there a breeze going through the kitchen?"  
"…there're no windows in here. You sure you didn't catch Corrin's cold?"

"If I did, wouldn't you have caught it?" Kaze reminded him. "Anyway, let's get on with it. We shouldn't leave Corrin in there alone too long."  
"Oh, yeah," Silas nodded in agreement. "He's probably suffering by himself in there. He could barely stand when we left him….."

…..

 _Meanwhile, in Corrin's room…._

"Dammit, I have to….get out of here….." Corrin staggered towards the door, using a branch as a cane to support himself. "Those two will….kill me…."

The prince groaned as he shook his head, downing a nearby glass of water to get rid of the burning feeling still lingering in his throat after the medicine- which he was pretty sure had been the same kind of poison they tipped Hoshidan shuriken with- that Kaze had fed him. He wiped a drop of sweat from his brow.

' _I've faced down my siblings, the armies of two nations, undead abominations, my_ _ **own mother**_ _raised from the dead, and a dragon with the power of a god,'_ Corrin thought to himself. _'I am the heir to the Kingdom of Valla, the adoptive brother of the kings of Hoshido and Nohr, and am quite possibly a frontrunner for 'most influential person in history'. And_ _ **this**_ _is how I die.'_

Corrin shook his head, shaking his exasperation from his mind. He had to get out of bed, maybe flee somewhere else; maybe Ryoma would be willing to hide him from Kaze and Silas, or perhaps he could beg Jakob to take care of him instead. He'd rather deal with their hurt feelings than deal with their subpar care; at least with their hurt feelings, he could apologise or make it up to them, something he couldn't do killed by medicine.

"…..yes…." The prince uttered as he pulled the door to his room open, looking around to make sure neither Kaze nor Silas was present. Fortunately for the prince, he was safely out of sight of his two 'caretakers'. He sighed in relief.

"Thank the dragons…" He closed his eyes, safe in the knowledge that he was alone. "I would've-"  
"Big bro? Is that you?"

' _Oh no,'_ the prince froze as he slowly turned around to the source of the voice. _'Gods, no.'_

Elise looked curiously at the feverish Corrin, who looked paler than usual everywhere but his rouged face, red and sweaty with illness. The princess blinked, tilting her head and frowning at Corrin.

"Corrin? Are you okay? Are you still sick?" She placed the back of her hand against his cheek, feeling his temperature. "Oh, you're still sick! You need to get back in bed!"

"W-wait!" Corrin protested as she flailed about. "E-Elise, I'm fine-achoo! Really! I'm fine! I just-"

"No!" Elise pouted, huffing at him. "You're going back to bed, mister, no ifs or buts! Little sister's orders!"

The princess managed to drag Corrin back to bed; between fear of hurting Elise with his thrashing, the little princess' surprising strength and sickness-induced fragility, the prince was easy to drag back into his room and place back in bed. Elise calmly dusted him off after placing a blanket over him, folding her arms and looking down at him concernedly. "You need some rest, Corrin, it isn't healthy to work while you're sick like this."

The prince groaned, wiping his nose with a chequered handkerchief. "A-at least get someone-achoo! To take care of me first…."

"I know, I'll get Kaze and Silas to do it!" Elise chirped happily, raising a finger before running away. "I'll wait until they come by and make sure you don't leave bed!"  
"Nonononononononono wait!" Corrin cried in protest, but it was too late; Elise had already disappeared out the door. The prince groaned, closing his eyes and lying back in bed, dreading whatever was coming.

"….I pissed off a god somewhere, I know I did," the prince uttered, a chesty cough echoing from his mouth. "Why else would I suffer like this?"

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Izumo…._

Felicia sighed happily as she dipped into one of the hot pools in the palace. "Ahhh…..I love this. This feels so…..warm….." She closed her eyes, leaning back against the rocks that surrounded the pools.

Flora was opposite her, closing her eyes and taking in the atmosphere herself. Both sisters were clad only in their smallclothes; anything more was hardly appropriate or comfortable in the hot springs.

The room was vast and steamy, the entrance to the changing rooms barely visible through the mist from the springs within. There were many pools within, with one large pool nearer the end of the room opposite the entrance and many smaller pools for small groups; Izana, in times past, had made much use of this room for merry-making and frolicking, though he hated how the steam in the room made his hair go all frizzy. Instead, the springs were reserved for guests who were less concerned for the state of their hair, to show off the natural beauty and attraction of the land of Izumo. And of course, it was a nice talking point for parties.

"I could just pass out here….." Felicia uttered, before shaking her head and pulling away from the stones on the side cautiously. "Although I might hit myself on the head if I did….Flora?"

The blue-haired maid looked disquieted. Something concerned her.

Felicia waded over to her sister, looking at her concernedly."…Flora, what's wrong?"

"…I feel wrong, taking a break like this on Corrin's account," Flora replied, sighing. "I know he actually arranged this all for us, but I feel like this would be shirking my work for him."  
"This is _why_ he wants you to take a break, you know…." Her sister reminded her. "You know, ever since the Northern Fortress….."  
"He's always done this, always putting the happiness of others ahead of his own," she completed the sentence, closing her eyes as her memory was cast back all those years ago to the fortress in the wastelands; stories of her and Corrin, but stories nonetheless saved for another time. "….and that's why I have to work so hard. I….don't feel it'd be right for me to just take a break when he always watches out for his friends and myself, Felicia. It's _because_ he's my friend, you have to understand, that I don't take a break. I would be worthless if I couldn't even repay my-"  
"Hey, don't say that!" Felicia rebuked her, frowning. "You're not worthless, alright? You just need to, you know, take it a little lighter and don't overwork yourself. You'll make yourself sick…."

"…..I know," Flora sighed, looking down guiltily as she sniffed,. "I'm sorry for worrying you so much, Felicia. I always cause too much trouble…."

"Hey, hey, it's okay alright?" Felicia smiled at her, drawing her sister into a tight hug. "That's what I'm here for. We're sisters, Flora. Remember that."

"…thank you," the blue-haired sibling uttered, returning the hug softly.

However, perfectly timed to destroy any sense of solemnity, Izana- with his hair covered in a bandanna to protect it from the mist- poked his head in.

"Yo, homies, I gots me a chick here who says she wants to give you the lowdown on the streets!" The archduke cheerfully announced. Felicia and Flora stared at him as if he'd spoken gibberish.

The springs were silent for a moment. Izana blinked.

"…..ladies, I have someone who needs to give you a message," he repeated, his cheerful grin barely fading. "Perhaps such slang was not as trendy as Corrin led me to believe…."

Mozu stepped out next to him, carrying a comically huge pile of assorted stuff, from vials full of lavender fluid to boxes of flowers, in her arms. It dwarfed her, despite the villager having grown somewhat after the war, so it appeared that the boxes spoke instead of her.

"Errr….um…." Mozu squirmed slightly. "…..you guys, we've got trouble back home."

"Everyone says that now!" Felicia remarked. "I thought I was the only one who said it…."

Flora, however, was less concerned with that and more with what was going on. "…..trouble?"

"Um….we were followed," Mozu explained. "I told Azura we were followed. You know, with the codeword."

"…one day, we'll need Izumian petunias for real and we won't know if it's because we need actual petunias from Izumo or if we're being followed," Felicia commented, frowning. "…..wait, followed? By who?"

"I got followed by Takumi," the villager replied, shaking her head. "He, uh, tried to take the stuff in my hands away from me. I think he had a few more people with him."

"Lord Takumi?" Flora inquired. "Where is he now?"

…..

 _Meanwhile, outside Izana's palace….._

Takumi flailed upside down, his ankle tied up and him hanging from a tree.

"H-how did she even-?!" The prince cried, trying to pull the rope off of his foot. Izana looked up at him, tilting his head.

"…how _did_ you get up there, Prince Takumi?"  
"J-just help me!"

…

Flora thought carefully. "Corrin can deal with it, right? Surely some stalkers might not be"

"He's….uh….ill," Mozu confessed, causing both maids to stare at her.

"What?" The blue-haired maid blinked. "…..he was perfectly fine when we left! What happened?"  
"He overworked himself and he got a fever," the villager explained. Flora looked over at Felicia.

"…huh," the pink-haired maid blinked. "I-it worked out like that?"

Flora closed her eyes, shaking her head. "No, no, I can't sit here while Corrin's sick. Let's go, Felicia."  
"Right!" Her sister nodded as both women pulled themselves from the springs, wrapping towels around their bodies to keep warm. "W-wait, Mozu…..why do you have so much?"  
"…Corrin needed it for something."

"Oh," Felicia looked away, nodding. "Okay."

At this point, Felicia had just learned not to question the thought that went into Corrin's plans. They tended to work out for the best anyway; what was a little pig slop between friends anyway?

…..

 _Meanwhile, in Fort Corrin,_

"…we are not feeding this to Corrin," Kaze held up the bowl of boiling, acrid green slop that Silas had attempted to make. Silas' eyes narrowed as he sighed, looking down.

"It's chicken soup, Kaze. Can't you tell?"  
"That's not soup. This looks like the stuff I dip shuriken in to poison it so it kills people."

Silas glared at him. "Like you're one to talk!"  
"Alright then," the ninja crossed his arms before taking a spoon and scooping up some of the broth, before dumping it on Silas' chest. The cavalier jumped back, staring at him in shock.

"Kaze! What was-" Silas stared as the "soup" melted through his clothes. "Ah! GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!" The cavalier knocked Kaze's hand down, splattering some of the "soup" on himself and forcing the ninja to rip his own shirt off to spare himself. The ninja breathed deeply, before seeing the cavalier in danger.

"U-um….oh, gods!" Kaze looked around desperately, before grabbing a nearby bucket and splashing it all over the cavalier, managing to clean off the slop, sparing Silas a more horrible fate. The cavalier was drenched, but he survived.

"….well, at least we know I was right," the ninja remarked as Silas sighed, looking down at his clothes- or rather, what was left of them; the soup had burned off most of his clothes and left him entirely in his smallclothes, exposing his physique. As for his legs, his breeches were too drenched to be of any use for the rest of the day.

"Well, these are ruined. Now what? We can't go up to Corrin half-naked!"

Kaze's eyes closed, as he looked around. "Perhaps they keep some aprons or something-"  
"Aprons?!"The cavalier looked at him in shock. "I can't wear an apron! What if Elise sees? Corrin'll kill us both!"

"Ah, you're right," Kaze nodded slowly. "Perhaps something else then…."  
"Dammit, can't you lend me something?"

"I don't have spare clothing either, Silas, otherwise I'd be wearing that already," the ninja replied, looking around before he spied a closet with a hanger hanging off the knob. "Ah, there we go. Perhaps they might have something…."

He strolled over there, opening the cabinet and pulling something out. Kaze blinked as he realised what, precisely, he had just drawn out.

"…oh. Well….." The ninja turned to face Silas, showing him what he was holding.

The cavalier took a moment, tilting his head to look at what Kaze had pulled out before his eyes widened. "Oh…..I am _not_ wearing that. No way."  
"Beggars can't be choosers. And I have to wear these too. In case you haven't noticed, I'm just as shirtless as you are."

Silas groaned, closing his eyes as he turned his head away from the things Kaze held up and took one. "Awww….partner's never going to let me live _this_ down…."

…

Azura stepped into the fort, carrying the box in her arms that she'd taken from Oboro's house, looking around to ensure that she'd lost her pursuers.

"…..I'll never understand how Mozu saw them so easily," the songstress mused to herself. "And I'll never understand how Corrin came up with so many codewords."

Closing her eyes and sighing, Azura continued walking down the corridor.

The moment the songstress disappeared, Kagerou and Saizou poked their heads out from behind a nearby pillar. The red-clad ninja's eye followed the trail of Azura's dress as she left.

"….alright, here's the plan," Saizou looked to his partner. "I will hunt down Corrin and make him pay for his crimes, and you will find his office and destroy all prank-related devices in there. We will put an end to his madness once and for all!"

Kagerou raised a finger to stop him. "Saizou….have you considered the possibility that Corrin is not the prankster, perhaps?"  
"We have all the evidence! He might as well be guilty! I will not hesitate any longer! For _HOSHIDO_!" Saizou roared.

"No, wait-" The female ninja sighed as her partner disappeared down the corridor. She closed her eyes, standing up and dusting herself off.

' _An excellent lover- even if we cannot be-, a skilled ninja and an unsurpassable partner, but his temper is something to fear. I'd better stop him.'_

She immediately ran after her partner.

* * *

Corrin groaned as he lay in bed, sighing. He could still hear Elise's footsteps outside, pacing up and down the corridor like a restless guard dog. His fever was still raging, but the prince preferred a raging fever; especially considering that his bedroom was right above the kitchen. He shuddered at the thought of whatever chaos his friends were cooking up for him.

And judging from the noises he had heard a few minutes ago- Kaze and Silas' panicked screaming and the sound of something sizzling through wood and tile- he was right to be afraid.

' _This is it, this is divine retribution for all my pranks,'_ Corrin thought to himself. _'I've caught up and now this is going to be how it all-'_

Elise's laughter pierced his thoughts as the prince's eyes were drawn to the door. He tilted his head.

"….what's going on out-"

His question was answered immediately as the door opened. Corrin's eyes widened, confused.

Then he broke out into raucous laughter, cut short by a fit of coughing.

Silas and Kaze were in front of him, dressed in spare maid uniforms; Silas was dressed in Flora's outfit, while Kaze was dressed in Felicia's; the two were distinguished by the red gem on Flora's dress and the blue on Felicia's. The cavalier looked vastly irritated, while the ninja was completely nonchalant about the whole affair.

"…..this thing's tight around the waist…." Silas complained, looking down at his skirt. "…..and did we really have to wear these?" He pointed to the tiaras.

Kaze, who was carrying a bowl of soup, shrugged. "If we are to take these outfits, we may as well wear the tiaras."

"Man….." Silas closed his eyes in embarrassment, shaking his head. "Hey, partner, don't….uh….say anything to Mozu, alright?"

"I rather like this outfit, actually," the ninja admitted, taking part of his skirt up. "…..it feels freer than what I usually wear."

Corrin stared at the pair. "…just…..why are you both wearing maid outfits?"  
"Silas managed to burn his clothes off cooking soup," Kaze explained.

"…..you should've stepped away from the stove."  
"The _soup_ burned off his clothes."

The cavalier groaned. "I swear, Corrin, I'm _not_ trying to kill-"

Suddenly, the three were interrupted as Saizou burst in, Flame Shuriken at hand, preparing to throw something at Corrin. The ninja glared at the feverish prince.

"Corrin! I am here to…." He paused as he realised exactly what was going on. His eye narrowed at Corrin. "…what kind of prank is this?"  
"Prank?" The prince sneezed, sniffling.  
"T-this!" The red-clad ninja pointed to the bewildered Silas and Kaze, wearing maid costumes. "…is this some sort of perverted joke?!"

"Brother, he's actually sick," Kaze explained. "And I swear, there's a _perfectly_ good explanation as to why we are both in maid outfits."

Saizou scoffed. "Of course! You two are up to some sort of antic, aren't you?"

"For gods' sakes, Saizou, I'm _actually_ i-achoo!" The prince wiped the mucus from his nose. "I'm not faking this!"

"A likely story!" The red-clad ninja declared. "Well I won't fall for-"

"Oh! Hi, Saizou!" Elise popped in, waving and smiling brightly at him. "Oh, are you here to visit Corrin? We didn't tell anyone he was sick, but if it's okay with him, it's fine!"

Saizou blinked. A moment passed.

Then he took a look at the clearly feverish Corrin, even barging past his brother to feel the prince's forehead with the back of his hand. He recoiled when he felt the burning skin, before stepping back, his gaze shifting between Corrin, Elise and Silas and Kaze.

"…this isn't a prank, is it," The ninja concluded.

"And the last horse crosses the finish line," Corrin remarked with a deadpan voice, coughing after he finished the sentence.

"Wait! Saizou! I…." Kagerou ran into the room, only to see Saizou standing between the two men in maid outfits, a smiling Elise waving at her and an exasperated Corrin, groaning half in pain and half in irritation.

She paused. _'…and I was too late.'_

"…..how many more of you got the bright idea that I'm some sort of antic master who's planning pranks every day?" The prince snapped, glaring at the female ninja.

Kagerou looked over at Kaze, who waved at her. She sighed.

"…our apologies, m'lord," she quickly uttered; she could tell at a glance Corrin wasn't faking being sick. If nothing else, Saizou would've already dragged him halfway to Castle Shirasagi if he wasn't.

"….Saizou, let's just go."

"Yes," the red-clad ninja allowed himself to be dragged by the hand away by his partner. "….we should go."

The two ninjas left the room, leaving a confused Elise. "…..antics? What were they talking about?"

"No clue," Kaze shrugged, before approaching Corrin. "…hey. Have this chicken soup-"

"That will be quite enough."

The soup suddenly froze over in the ninja's hand, as Flora entered the room, suitcase in hand and a worried expression on her face. The blue-haired maid approached Kaze, plucking the bowl from his hand.

"Please, you two, leave this to me," Flora calmly stated. "And Silas, please place my uniform in the hamper near the washing rooms."

Silas sighed in relief as he nodded to her. "A-alright!"

"As you wish, Flora," Kaze nodded and followed Silas out. Corrin visibly sighed in relief, before looking over at her worriedly.

"F-Flora, I thought you were-"

"I cannot take a break, in good faith, while you're lying ill in bed," the blue-haired maid explained firmly. "I refuse to. You watch out for my well-being constantly, Corrin. For me to laze in a hot spring in Izumo while you're sick would be unfair."

"…gods, Flora, I sent you away to take a break because-achoo! You'd end up like me." The prince remarked, chuckling. "Guess how that worked out, huh?"

Flora shook her head, suppressing a chuckle. "You shouldn't overwork yourself so much for the sake of others, Corrin."  
"Funny how that works," the prince replied. "Well, I commend-achoo! Myself to your worthy hands…..b-but you're not doing it alone."  
"I will take care of you as necessary," the maid replied. "Mozu explained the situation to me. If you had just trusted Jakob, perhaps you wouldn't be in such bad shape."

"I'm real sorry, I just….you know, wanted my friends to take a break," the prince replied guiltily. "…you know?"

Flora closed her eyes, smiling slightly. "I appreciate the effort, Corrin. Thank you. Now, please, let me take care of you."

"Can you get Jakob to-" The prince started, but the cabinet door swinging open interrupted him.  
"I am right here, Lord Corrin!" Jakob declared proudly as he stepped out of the cabinet to the side of Corrin's bed. "Don't worry, I would never let you send me away to work on things while you're in this condition. Those buffoons should never have been allowed to take care of you alone!"

"…how long have you been in there?" Corrin blinked.

Flora nodded at the butler, hiding her obvious happiness at seeing her beloved and trying to focus on her currently ill liege. "Jakob, if you will, please accompany me to the kitchen. We're going to make him an actual meal to help him regain his strength, alright?"

"Of course," Jakob nodded firmly, looking over to the prince. "Anything for Lord Corrin."

'… _..well, guess this isn't bad,'_ Corrin sighed, closing his eyes and laying back in bed. _'I have two competent people taking care of me and it'll help build up their relationship. I'd say this was a win.'_

Outside the room, Azura sighed, closing the door.

"…..are Flora and Jakob going to team up and take care of Corrin?" Elise wondered. "Maybe they'll actually end up together!"

Azura chuckled. "Well, that could happen. And…..well…..I am _never_ letting Silas and Kaze live _that_ down. Although…..I'm impressed Flora came back so quickly."

"…you think Flora's interested in Big Brother?" Elise's eyes widened. The songstress shook her head.

"Oh, no, nothing like that," she remarked. "Not that anyone would ever see that coming. Still, it's food for thought, no? Come on, Elise, I'll get you something to eat. Corrin will probably throw a fit if you stay in here too long."  
"Okay!"

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: That was a long one. Anyway, next chapter, we're featuring** **The Apocryphal One's** **Azurrin oneshots, so a huge shoutout to her/him for letting us feature their works! I think you Azurrin shippers deserve a little treat and I need to write more Azura anyway, as she's honestly my third favourite character (after Corrin and Flora) to write.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, suggestions, reviews and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time! AND NOW STINGER**

* * *

 _Sometime in the future, Corrin's office…._

"…so, you two managed to get what I wanted, yes?" Corrin said, recovered from his illness after a few days of care. Azura and Mozu stood in front of him, nodding.

"…what did you need perfume for?" The villager inquired. "…..that really was quite….nice-smelling perfume you had me make, but why?"

Azura looked curiously at him. "And the package you had me pick up from Oboro's house was rather light and suspect. I assume you have some sort of plan?"  
"….now, you ladies know that the Hoshidan Festival of Stars is coming up, correct?" The prince inquired, to which both nodded. He tented his fingers together.

"…excellent. I can't spoil my plans just yet, but…know that I'll be using these for something. Thanks very much for getting these for me, I really appreciate it, by the way. I'll send your regards to the lucky recipient."

Azura looked disappointed, albeit not seriously. "Aww. It wasn't me you planned to give them to?"  
"Please. You'd have my head sooner if I was going to be a sappy drooling fool who bought you perfumes."

"Perhaps the sappy fools are my type, hm?" The songstress retorted teasingly.

"…..can we know who we're making these for?" Mozu inquired, to which Corrin replied with a shake of his head.

"Sorry. Just wait. You'll find out soon enough. After all…..the festival's in two weeks, right?"

* * *

 **END**


	12. Special Chapter: The Apocryphal One!

**Corrin Reacts to The Apocryphal One!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts. Hoo boy, well. A huge shout-out to** **The Apocryphal One** **for letting me cover her works; please, go over and go read those, she's really good at this stuff and** _ **way**_ **better than I am. I especially recommend reading her serious works, such as** **The Invisible Princess** **,** **The Lost King** **and** **Fire Emblem Fates: Aftermath** **. Anyway, this whole chapter's just for her, so if she's reading this, you're awesome, we love you and everyone reading this loves you, and I hope you keep writing! This is also for the Azurrin fans among you guys, by the way. *wink***

 **By the way, for the curious, this chapter is** _ **only**_ **for the Azurrin oneshots. If I get enough requests, I may cover her more serious Fates works as a separate chapter for each work, for obvious reasons.**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise Zoura would have joined the good guys at some point.**

 **All fanfics in this chapter belong to** **The Apocryphal One** **.**

 **All mentioned franchises and stories belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"….so that's your devious plan?" Azura remarked as she smirked, listening to Corrin finish his explanation. The prince nodded, smiling back.

"Of course. It'll aid the plan along. If nothing else, hanging around them more will help me pair 'em off, no?"

The songstress shook her head, chuckling. "If I were anyone else, I'd be convinced you wanted to confess to Flora, or using that to get to me."

"Jealous?" Corrin retorted teasingly. Azura pretended to look guilty.

"And what _would_ you say if I said yes, hm? Maybe, as they say, you're my type."

"Better get a move on, then," the prince replied. "Camilla might get there before you if she has her way."

"You underestimate a woman's jealousy," Azura reminded him, before chuckling and sighing. "But, on a serious note, that's your final plan?"  
"I need more information than I have now to get Flora and Jakob together," Corrin replied, clearing his throat and regaining his composure. "This is the best way without making Jakob suspicious and screwing my whole plan up. As it is, Saizou and Kagerou are breathing down the back of my neck and I don't need them coming back."  
"You were lucky that they came when you were sick," the songstress remarked, nodding in agreement. "I doubt that you'd have gotten away with it more if you weren't. Anyway, I do grant my permission for this plan and I hope it works. I'll play along for you, too, if you need me to."

"….I'll have to be a bit more subtle from now on," the prince concluded, making a mental note to remember that. "I shouldn't need much help from you if you keep talking like that. Anyway, now that we've finished clearing that plan up…"

Corrin turned his laptop around to reveal a dozen personal messages on the website he frequented to read fanfic on. Azura tilted her head, reading the message titles curiously; the concept that messages could be sent so quickly over these computers was still new to the songstress, but not hard to grasp.

After all, compared to leaping into giant chasms and fighting giant dragons with eyeballs wedged in their mouth, the concept of Internet messaging was _nothing_.

"Messages about…fanfic. They want you to read something?" The songstress inquired. "What?"

"They want me to read a certain writer's work," Corrin corrected her. "I've made it look like I was a Fire Emblem-that's what they call the games about our lives in the Outrealms- fan and people just flooded me with messages. Apparently, they're quite good- good enough I've been flooded with people demanding I read their stories. I figured we'd read them together and waste some time."

Azura shrugged casually. "That sounds like a plan, I suppose. You've been missing me, haven't you?"

"Says the woman who couldn't bear to live without me and moved into the bedroom next to mine," the prince shot back with a smirk.

"I couldn't possibly live without you, Corrin dear," the songstress answered in the most deadpan voice she could muster. "Now, shall we begin with the story reading? I'm genuinely curious as to why there's so many people recommending their work for you to read."

Corrin nodded as he turned the laptop back towards him, typing the search terms down. "I believe it was….Apocrypha, or something. Bleh. I'll know when I see it."

"That sounds like something Odin would come up with," Azura mused, tapping her chin with her index finger. "Sounds appropriately hammy."

* * *

 _What's In A Name_

"I never understood what all the fuss was about with my name," Corrin mused as he tilted his head at the screen. "Kamui, Corrin, does it really matter all that much?"

Azura shrugged. "I always liked the sound of Corrin better, to be honest. It rolls off the tongue better."

"...you know, in hindsight, I don't even know why I was even loyal to that…..man," Corrin remarked, his normally easy-going tone hardening at the thought of Garon. "He never raised me anyway. I owe more to Gunter than him."

The prince acknowledged that the Garon that Xander and the other siblings knew was a good man- a kind man, even. Sometimes, it had even crossed his mind that he might have even liked Garon, had he met that man instead of the undead abomination he did end up encountering and loathing.

Of course, that was a story for another time.

"Corrin?"  
Azura's hand was on the prince's shoulder, as Corrin's gaze snapped to her, pushed out of the fugue. The songstress' face was marred by concern for her friend, her head slightly tilted as she studied his face. "Huh?"  
"You were distracted. Are you okay, Corrin?"  
"I…..sorry," the prince replied, rubbing the back of his head. "I was just…thinking. About Garon."

The songstress started speaking. "You know, we can do something else-"

"It's fine. Just…..a little distracted, is all."

Azura visibly lightened up, smiling as her hand lingered on his shoulder, before pulling away. "That's good. You know you can tell me if anything's bothering you, right? This is what we do in this story, after all."

"….thanks," Corrin replied with a smile. "I appreciate that. Now…should we stop sounding like a bunch of saps in one of Nyx's romance novels?"

Azura snorted. "And the moment dies a quick death. Oh well. Although….I appreciate the compliment."  
"Well, you _are_ beautiful," Corrin shrugged, secretly glad for the change in subject. "Can't disagree with that."

The songstress giggled teasingly. "Oh? Is that a confession I hear coming? When are we to be wed?"

"I bet you'd say that if I called Elise beautiful when she wears a nice dress."  
"Despite what our mothers insisted, we're about as related as a mouse and apple are," Azura reminded him. "Although Mikoto and my mother were very close, admittedly, they were hardly sisters. Just as close as we are. So, my point stands."

"Sometimes, I think you're _expecting_ me to fall into your arms and whisper sweet nothings to you," the prince replied, shaking his head and sighing. Azura flashed the most mischievous smirk he had ever seen her flash.

"Is it really my fault if you're just that likeable?" she replied playfully. "Why, I can _hardly_ hold myself back."

….

 _Jealousy_

Azura chuckled as she read the fic. "Oh my, Corrin. I do hope these fics aren't intended as a message to me, considering we seem to be a couple in all of them."  
"In my defense, I didn't know that until we started," the prince replied. "Hey, you're the one seeing what you want to in them, not me."

"Although…..Kaden's tail is rather fluffy….." the songstress admitted. "After all, we caught Sakura snuggling up with him in fox form once, didn't we?"  
Corrin chuckled at the mention of that particular incident. "Ah, yes. We also caught Kaze petting his fur, too. I'm never letting him live that down."

"Oh?" Azura snickered. "Really? And….ooh, so you're _jealous_ of Kaden's fluffiness?"

The prince snorted dismissively. "Please. Everyone knows that dragons are far more regal than foxes. Foxes are overrated, anyway."  
"I don't know if you needed to say that…after all, what if _I_ said dragon tails were sexy?" Azura smirked teasingly, a playful glint in her eyes. Corrin's expression didn't change.

"I'd be asking where the real Azura went and what this rather seductive imposter did with my innocent best friend."

"Aww…..that ruins my plans, then," the songstress replied enigmatically. The prince struck back quickly with a blow of his own.

"And I don't suppose _you're_ jealous of me touching people's faces?"  
"What you do with other people in your bedroom on your own time is none of my business," retorted Azura curtly without missing a beat. The playful glint was still in her eyes.

"You know, you really are adorable when you blush," the prince pointed out, attempting to advance further in the verbal parrying match. Azura, however, had her own riposte ready.

"Oh? My, Corrin, if you're hiding some sort of affection for me, you're rather bad at it. You may as well give up the lie. Even Effie could see through it and she's the girl who attempted to put two halves of a pot together by crushing them with her hands."

Corrin shrugged. "And what if I am? You saying that's a bad thing? You already live with me, not like it'd be much of a change."  
"I'm saying you wouldn't be able to handle me, dear," the songstress teased.

* * *

 _Of Birthrights and Love_

"I'm not that bad with personal space, am I?" Corrin looked over to Azura, who raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well, I suppose apart from the face-touching and inviting your adopted siblings up to your bedroom to do weird things on the bed with them, I suppose you're good."

The prince's eyes narrowed. "Very funny. Well, I learned my lesson after Camilla almost turned the whole thing into a disaster…."  
"Ah, yes, Niles almost never let you live that one down," the songstress pointed out, smirking. "I suppose you didn't invite anyone up here after that, did you?"  
"No, no I didn't."

Azura shook her head, sighing before continuing to read. "Ah…..strawberries, ghost stories and jewels for my hair. This Corrin's even more romantic than you are."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Maybe I want some strawberries too, hm?" The songstress suggested. "And 'ice princess', seriously? I'm not Flora, you know."

"I doubt Flora would agree to that one, either," the prince pointed out. "…I'm curious now. Have you actually imagined kissing me?"

Azura thought carefully for a few seconds. "Honestly? Yes."

The prince's eyes widened, clearly caught off-guard this time. "What, really?"  
"I get bored sometimes," she replied with a shrug. "I imagine you're not actually all that great at kissing, seeing as you've never kissed anyone before."

Corrin grumbled, exasperated. "Thanks, Azura. Nice to know my best friend thinks I'd be a bad kisser. Your faith is greatly appreciated as always."

Azura giggled mischievously. "Any time, dear, I'm here all week."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Immensely."

….

 _Cracked Mirror_

"As if the last three stories couldn't possibly be shipping us together more, now I'm carrying your child," Azura mused. "I do hope you aren't trying to say something."

Corrin rolled his eyes. "Of all the things you complain about, it's getting pregnant."  
"I hear it's not exactly sunshine and rainbows. Then again, I wouldn't know," Azura admitted. "I do hear that it brings terrible cravings."

"Gods, I can't imagine _you_ wanting those…." Corrin shuddered. The songstress looked away for a second, shenanigans flitting in front of her golden eyes.

"Hm…..the wonders I could pull making you run around like a madman to soothe my cravings. I could ask you for anything and you'd just have to get it for me."

"Don't you get any ideas," the prince remarked. "If you have kids and they aren't mine, you can go climb up Izumo yourself for all I care."

Azura frowned; again, with the playful glint in her eyes, Corrin could tell she wasn't taking this seriously. "Awww, you would leave your best friend alone to suffer the pains of pregnancy? How cold. And they call me the ice princess."

"….you know, I do wonder if I'd be a good father, sometimes," the prince confessed as his eyes scanned the page. "Not as bad as I seem to be here; gods knows, I could be as clueless about parenthood as Kaze is about women and I'd still be a better father than Garon."

Azura rolled her eyes. "Please. You spoil all of us and we're just your friends. What you'd do with your kids is not in question. They'd grow up wondering why father won't send them caviar anymore and complain that he doesn't love them anymore."

The prince chuckled at that. "Okay, I'll admit it, _that_ was a good one."

"I learned from the best," Azura replied with a smile. "You're the one who I honed my skills in this area on, after all."

"You have Jakob to thank," Corrin reminded her. "He's even worse than I am. But….seriously, you think I'd be a good father?"

The songstress didn't hesitate in responding.

"Of course you'd be. You're _Corrin_. You're the kind of idiot who would go out of his way and work himself sick for the sake of pairing up his best friends just because you want them to be happy. The kind of fool who would stake his own life to unite two kingdoms to slay an undead draconic abomination. You'd probably bumble around a little and figure out how turn the baby off when it cries at ungodly times in the morning, but I figure you'd take to it as easily as you do plotting pranks."

"…wow, I'm actually flattered," Corrin laughed, blinking. "Thanks. I….didn't think you felt so strongly about that."

"You're more than my best friend, you're my _partner_ ," Azura pointed out. "Of course I'd feel strongly about it."

"…..although you still think I'm a bad kisser," the prince sighed, shaking his head. Azura wagged her finger at him.

"I never said anything about your romancing skills, just that you'd spoil your children."

"…..hey, speaking of which, I'd better go find Flora, to put my plan into action. That was a fun afternoon!" Corrin stood up to leave, before Azura held a finger up to stop him.

"Wait. What is this review box for?"

The prince looked over at the screen, before nodding back at her. "You can say you really liked a story enough to comment on it."

"Ah, I see," the songstress nodded, understanding. "Very well, then. I shall leave one."

….

 **From: CorrinLover420**

Well done. I would have appreciated more scenes between myself and Corrin, though that would be sufficient. Especially, I would have liked to see one where Corrin had to run around and do errands for me to sate my cravings.

-Azura

….

"Really," the prince's eyes narrowed as the songstress smirked triumphantly.

"It would be an interesting idea, anyway."

* * *

 _Later….._

Flora and Corrin sat next to each other on a bench in the fort. The blue-haired maid was staring at the prince strangely as he spoke, asking her to do something.

Flora stared at Corrin as she processed what he had just asked. "…you wish that of me?"  
"Of course," he nodded in reply. "I trust your opinion, Flora. I can't trust Felicia or Mozu with this, they might say something…and of course, Kaze's clueless, Silas is probably going to fail and you know about Jakob already."

"…I-I'm flattered, but….I'm not sure I'm the best to be asking," the maid confessed, looking down. Corrin shook his head quickly.

"Of course you are. You know about this more than anyone, don't you?"

"….so you wish to have my advice on how to….court Azura?" Flora stared at him in surprise. The prince nodded in the affirmative. "Yes. I want your advice on precisely that. I figured that getting your perspective on what makes men attractive to women would be useful. I'd ask Azura myself but….you know."

The maid sighed, shaking her head. "Good grief. You're a good man, but…..this is a hare-brained plan. I'm still not sure you want me for-"  
"Oh, who else am I going to ask? You're the best person I know."

That much was true. Flora was the best person Corrin could ask, if he needed to ask something of this kind and keep it secret. Felicia, though loyal, would probably accidentally rat him out, and the others save Mozu had their own flaws. Going to his siblings would probably result in him getting rather dysfunctional advice, especially on a matter such as this; after all, Ryoma was entirely clueless about Scarlet's rather obvious feelings for him, Xander was a complete fool in anything outside of battle, Camilla would likely eviscerate his lover (and Hinoka would eviscerate him _and_ his lover) and that wasn't getting into how unhelpful Elise or Takumi could be. Not to mention the rest of his rather rag-tag friends in the army- Odin and Peri sprung to mind.

No, Flora was the best choice, Corrin had concluded, if he genuinely needed romantic advice. That realisation, of course, helped him lie about his true intentions.

"…..very well," Flora nodded, smiling slightly. "Don't worry, Corrin. I owe you for helping me with Jakob, so….it feels only right that I should help you with Azura. Shall we find time to talk about it?"  
"I'm all ears," Corrin replied, sighing gratefully.

Phase Two of his plan to get Flora and Jakob together had begun.

' _After all, Flora's likely to give me advice on what kind of man SHE finds attractive,'_ the prince had realised and explained to Azura much earlier. _'If I can find that out without telling her outright, I can tease out the right answers and coach Jakob into becoming a man worthy of her.'_

Of course, whether or not this would succeed is a story for another time.

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that was a LOT of Azurrin tease. I think I have sufficiently slaked your thirst. Anyway, now that that's done, let's get on with the story, no? Next chapter, Corrin Reacts to Harems! Also, a** _ **huge**_ **thank you to** **The Apocryphal One** **, again; please, go read her works, they're genuinely awesome and this chapter goes out to her for being a legend for letting us do this!**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, reviews, thoughts and suggestions, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time! Oh, you guys already know what's coming.**

* * *

 _Later, in Corrin's office…._

Corrin sat in his office, reading a small book; it was entitled _Ribald Tales of the Faith War_ , a book recommended for him by the mysterious woman from Ylisse called Reflet. He'd picked it up- surprisingly, Odin of all people had a copy- and was much enjoying it.

"….Lord Corrin?"

Corrin looked up to see Lilith, standing in the doorframe and playing with her ponytail, looking awkwardly away from him. "A-am I interrupting something?"

"….ah, hello," the prince softly smiled at her. "It's been a while since we've seen each other, Lilith. Don't worry. You didn't walk in on me, if that's what you're thinking."

"Ah…..you did said I should go out and see the world more, so I've been….staying in Miss Mozu's village to see how that works….", the girl explained. "I just got back yesterday and collapsed straight into bed."

Corrin nodded. "Well, it's nice to see you again, Lils."

'Lils' was what the prince had decided to label the girl after much deliberation, much teasing and the fact that it both embarrassed and amused her. Indeed, Lilith rubbed the back of her head, shaking her head.

"Lord Corrin, you need to be more f-formal. Please, c-call me Lilith…." There was no denying that, judging from her amused smile, the nickname was okay with her. Corrin seemed satisfied, nodding.

"Alright, you need anything?"

"Actually, I was going to say that s-someone's here to see you," Lilith explained, moving aside to reveal the person behind her.

The prince lifted an eyebrow. "Ah. Hello, Kana. I see you're back from climbing mountains in Hoshido with Gunter?"

The young woman in front of him was clad in greyish armor, in similar design to Corrin's own; the prince had chalked this up to Kana having stolen it from a Nohrian armory somewhere. A blue scarf covered her neck and accentuated her figure; Corrin noted that she had indeed grown into a fine young woman on her own, giving the likes of Azura a run for their money. The thought of having to protect her from Laslow crossed his mind, but he knew she could handle herself; after all, for some reason, she too possessed the power of transforming into a dragon similar in shape to those that had come before. She had explained it as having come from a different bloodline, though Corrin never quite understood why it seemed so similar to his.

Her soft, grey eyes looked up at Corrin's crimson, as she brushed a string of azure hair from her eyes, tucking it back into the bun she'd tied it into upon her head. She smiled back at him.

"Hello, Corrin," Kana greeted him, bowing. "It's been a while."

* * *

 **END**


	13. Corrin Reacts to Harems, Part 1!

**Corrin Reacts to Harems, Part 1!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Well, man, I didn't expect that enthusiastic a response to all the Azurrin tease. Then again, considering Azura is pretty much the only acceptable love interest for Corrin in this fandom, I suppose I had that coming. Anyway, the insanity will only escalate from there. I really must admit, I do enjoy writing Azura as the queen of snark that she is under all that quiet reserved behaviour; I mean, seriously, the girl can set people on** _ **fire**_ **. Anyway, let's get on with the chapter!  
DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise we'd get Flora as one of the default servant characters in lieu of Felicia. (Can you tell I'm a Flora fan yet?)  
All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"If I were to say what Jakob's best qualities were…." Flora started, a dusting of pink on her cheeks as she thought about the reasons she fell for the butler. Corrin had a notebook out and a quill, preparing to take notes. The two were sitting in Corrin's office, with Flora sitting in the prince's usual place behind the desk and Corrin sitting in front of her, resembling a teacher and her pupil, waiting eagerly to learn.

"Yes?" The prince asked, looking up at her curiously.

"Ah…..this is rather….embarrassing," the maid confessed, looking away. "Are you sure y-you want to know this? This may not help you with getting Azura to notice you."  
"Of course," the prince nodded in response. "I'll say it again. I trust your counsel in this, because nobody else here can really help all that much."

"Alright…..ah….don't tell Jakob I said this," Flora requested guiltily. Corrin smiled.

"Your secret's safe with me."  
"Well….I….always liked his dedication….and how he was always prepared for anything," the maid started, thinking carefully. "He's also skilled at what he does and always seeks to improve himself for you….I could never do something like that."

"So a dedicated, prepared man who wants to improve himself and help his friends?" Corrin raised an eyebrow, smiling teasingly. "My, my, Flora, quite the romantic, aren't we?"

"I-it's just how I feel," Flora defensively replied, placing a hand on her cheek and feeling the burning blush growing on her pale face. "I suppose I like someone like that. Is it bad if I tell you that?"  
"No, of course not," Corrin laughed, waving it off. "The only thing I ask in return is a wedding invitation and that I get first pick at being godfather to your kids."

"C-Corrin!" Flora cried, embarrassed. The prince smirked mischievously.

"I'm only joking around, Flora, I know. I just like seeing you smile, is all."

"…..you like seeing my smile?" The maid stared at him strangely. Corrin shrugged casually.

"You're my friend. I want to see my friends smile. You barely smile, so I want to fix that. It's that simple."

Flora looked away for a moment. "….you shouldn't say such things. I'm not worth the trouble…and people would think you'd want more than friendship."

"Maybe I do," Corrin answered in as serious a voice as he could muster. "Maybe I do want that."

That got a rise out of the maid, who giggled despite herself, holding her laugh in with her hand. "Corrin! Quit that! Y-you'll give people the wrong idea!"

"I'll do anything for a laugh. It's working, isn't it?"

Flora sighed, closing her eyes as her giggles faded away and she regained her composure. "...you weren't being serious when you said you….might have feelings for me, right?"

"Of course not," the prince replied calmly. "I'm not getting between you and Jakob. This isn't that kind of story. Not that you're not in fact a rather pretty lady. After all, Azura did say my type was 'mysterious blue-haired women'. One out of two isn't bad."

"I….appreciate that. Thank you," the maid replied with a smile, before giggling. "And I suppose I'm not mysterious to you at all. We did grow up together. I suppose all the mystery disappeared after that."

"Oh? Is this banter I hear? My, Flora, aren't we getting good at it?" The prince teased.

Before the exchange could continue, Leo and Kana showed up at Corrin's door. The Nohrian prince looked incredibly sheepish as he rubbed the back of his head. The draconic prince stared at him.

"….Leo? Nice to see you, but….what brings you here?" Corrin inquired. Kana spoke first.

"I found Lord Leo wandering around the antechamber to the palace looking completely lost for what to do," the young woman explained, at which the man shook his head.

"No, I was merely…. _deciding_ ," he corrected her awkwardly, before looking up at Corrin and Flora. "I was actually going to ask if you…..would come with me. Both of you."

Flora tilted her head. "Where to, milord?"  
"Sure, brother," Corrin nodded. "Where?"

"Xander decided that I need to get out and interact with people more," Leo explained, shaking his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "So he and Camilla decided to throw an impromptu party. And Niles and Odin _helped_ them. And invited the Hoshidans."

Corrin raised an eyebrow. "Even Hinoka?"  
" _Especially_ Hinoka." Leo blushed slightly at the mention of her name.

"I'd imagine Camilla was the ringleader. Xander's too awkward himself to want that," Corrin replied. "Why don't you just hide in your room like you always do?"

Leo groaned exasperatedly. "Niles locked the door to my room and won't give me the key. Odin also cursed the door so that if it opens before midnight, we get turned into frogs."

"I was going to attempt to pick the lock, but perhaps that might be inadvisable…." Flora conceded, sighing. "And what shall Corrin and I do there?"  
"I need you both to…..basically make me look like I'm occupied. I need you both to talk to me and support me when I try to…erm, _converse_ with Hinoka."

Corrin looked dumbfounded, before he started laughing. "You're asking Flora and I to be your wingmen?"

Leo stared at him, frantically shaking his head. "I wouldn't go so far as to call it that, like Laslow would…..but yes. I am asking you to help me talk to Hinoka."

' _A party and Leo needs a group of wingmen to help him ask Hinoka out. Couldn't give me something better to work with if you tried,'_ Corrin thought to himself with a smirk.

"Sure, Leo, no problem. I'll even bring Jakob, too. He's good at this kind of stuff."

Flora stared at him, confused. "Corrin, there's still things that I need to do! What are you-?!"

"I'm doing you a favour here," the prince whispered to her quickly. "Besides, what better place to ask Jakob out than at a ball?"

Kana looked as if she was about to say something, before shaking her head. Instead, she nodded.

"Corrin, do you need me for anything in particular?"

"…..the more the merrier. Why don't you come along? Azura's off somewhere doing whatever…." The prince recalled, sighing and simultaneously trying not to think about whatever the songstress was currently doing right now. "So myself, Flora, Jakob and Kana. That makes four. That enough for you?"

Leo was visibly relieved, judging by his smile and the sigh he gave. "Oh, thank the gods, _yes_. I'll meet you all back at Castle Windmire, then. I won't have to face Hinoka alone."

"If I had my way, I'd lock you two in a room together and let nature take its course," Corrin remarked coarsely, causing Leo to stare at him in shock.

"Corrin, you _wouldn't_ -"  
"The socially-awkward bookworm and the tomboy princess. I couldn't write this stuff if I _tried_!"

"…..don't say anything about it to her, alright? I already have enough trouble from Niles and Odin about it as it is…." The prince warned him, closing his eyes and sighing. "Well, anyway….I should leave you all to get ready."

Corrin nodded, a mischievous smile growing on his face as he looked between Flora and Leo, a plan already formulating in his mind.

"Yes. We'll be ready _very_ soon."

* * *

 _Two hours later, at Castle Windmire….._

"…this is absurd," Jakob replied as he set foot into the large hall the ball was to be held in, stepping in right behind Corrin, Flora standing next to him and Kana behind them. "There are things that need to be attended to! Heaters that need warming!"  
Corrin sighed. "Jakob, just enjoy yourself tonight, please. The castle won't blow up if you're not babysitting it for an hour or two. Besides, I left Felicia there-"  
"That would be about as advisable as leaving a pyromaniac arsonist in charge of the firewood stores," Jakob retorted.

"-AND Silas and Mozu are there to make sure nothing gets blown up," Corrin finished, sighing." Seriously, it's like you think I didn't prepare for this situation."

The butler seemed disatissfied with the result, but conceded. "Very well, I shall leave it in your capable hands, Lord Corrin."

"I think you're overreacting," Kana offered up helpfully. "Or overcompensating."

"I am not overcompensating! I am merely proving that my loyalty would go so far as to climb the-"

Corrin rolled his eyes. "Jakob, save the pick-up lines for the ladies. As handsome as you are, I'm not interested."

"How uncouth, Lord Corrin!" The butler snapped. "Very well, then…..I'll be over there if you need me." He walked off towards the side of the room.

"And I need to…relieve myself," Kana explained, swiftly ducking out of the hall to find the nearest chamberpot.

Flora closed her eyes, shaking her head. "I can't believe we were invited to something like this…."

Indeed, the hall-a large, black and white marble affair with torches along the columns holding up the large, vaulted ceiling- was packed with Nohrian nobles- and some Hoshidans- clad in formal nightwear. Two tables lined the sides of the hall, with wine and refreshments provided for the guests. Corrin could spy Hinoka nearby, looking irritated at Azama.

"Do you mind not embarrassing me in front of everyone?" The princess uttered, sighing exasperatedly as she received nothing but the perpetual bright grin from the monk.

"This is simply another one of the lessons I am equipped to teach, Lady Hinoka. How will you ever learn to take criticism without me?"

The prince could also see Setsuna, who had managed to get herself hung from a torch and was currently being helped down by Laslow and Peri. Corrin decided not to ask how that had happened.

"It'll be fine," the prince waved off Flora's concerns. "Besides, it's not like we're dressed like vagrants. We're good."

Leo appeared next to them, looking around at the vast number of guests and sighing. "As I thought, Camilla invited the entire kingdom to come."

"The closet looking more appealing now?" Corrin suggested playfully, causing the younger prince to groan.

"That was…. _not_ funny."

"You'd say that. Come on, just talk to her," the prince implored him. "We'll be right behind you. You go ahead."

Leo breathed in deeply, looking over at the Amazonian princess, mustering his courage. "…..alright. Wish me luck, Corrin. I'm going to go over to talk to her."  
"Go, then."

"I will."

" _Go_ then."

"I am-"  
"Prince Leo, you're grasping my hand rather tight," Flora pointed out, wincing slightly as the prince pulled away from the maid's hand.

"I'm looking like a complete fool with these nerves!" Leo cursed, turning to leave the hall. "…..you know what, I'm going to go-"

Corrin grabbed his shoulders and forcefully turned him around, pointing him back towards Hinoka. "No, ask her out," he ordered firmly.  
"But-"  
"Do it or I swear on the First Dragons I will find that story about you dating a tomato and leak it to every Nohrian noble I can _find_. _And_ Hinoka."

The prince froze for a moment, processing exactly what Corrin had just threatened to do. He sighed, defeated, raising his hands to signal surrender.

"…you really are a devious weasel," Leo muttered under his breath. Corrin smiled triumphantly.

"Excellent! Feel free to invite your dear brother Corrin as a guest of honor to the wedding."

"Wha-" Leo attempted to protest, but Corrin pushed him through the crowd, leaving him and Flora alone. The younger prince staggered through the nobles, and was cut off from his only source of support, leaving him with no other recourse than to gravitate towards the red-headed Hoshidan princess.

"Well, that takes care of that," the prince remarked as he rubbed his hands together. "Now, for you, Flora."

"Ah?" The maid stared at him, confused. "Corrin, what are you planning?"

Corrin smiled, pointing over at Jakob, who was being fawned over by a pair of squeeing noblewomen- and one rather foppish looking nobleman- while he sat there, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose in clear irritation. "Time for you to stake your claim."

Flora looked between him and the prince, not comprehending. "Huh?"

"Come on, go on! The Festival of Stars is in two weeks. It'll be fun!" The prince egged her on. "It'll be the perfect opportunity!"

The maid looked away embarrassedly. "I can't do this in front of so many people….."

"Trust me, you got this," the prince reassured her. "Besides, he'd probably prefer having you around to the girls- and the one guy- around him right now."

Flora sighed, breathing in deeply to steel her resolve. _'Come on, Flora, you can do this. This is what you've been waiting for. Jakob is all yours, Corrin is right behind you. You have this.'_

"…alright. I'm ready. Wish me luck," the maid implored, forging through the crowd.

' _This is too good to be true. This is_ waaaay _too obviously going to go wrong…'_ Corrin thought to himself. _'Still, it'll be good practice for Flora. That way when I get around to executing my real plan, she won't be so shy about it.'_

Taking a goblet from the nearby table, he filled it with some of the wine from one of the gold pitchers at the tables, heading across to follow his friend as encouragement.

* * *

Flora dusted herself off as she watched Jakob take a sip of wine from his own goblet, ignoring the advances of a rouge-faced noblewoman about her own age- the other admirers having left. She closed her eyes, clenching her fists as a sudden cold snap blew through the other woman's skirt, causing her to shiver bitterly. Squeaking in embarrassment, the other lady left, leaving the butler all for her.

The maid suppressed a giddy smile as she approached Jakob, reducing it to a calm, restrained expression. She carefully plucked a strand of blue hair from her eyes, tucking it back.

"….hello, Jakob," she greeted him calmly. "I see you're rather enjoying the party."

No response. The butler seemed transfixed on something aside from her. Flora pressed on.

"You are aware of the Festival of Stars coming up in Hoshido, yes? I was….wondering if you had any plans at all," the maid started as her cheeks turned slightly red. She looked away, trying to collect herself, looking to Corrin.

The prince smiled at her encouragingly, giving her a thumbs up and mouthing 'You've got this' at her. His eyes gleamed enthusiastically.

' _Thank you, Corrin, for supporting me,'_ she thought to herself as she sighed in relief, smiling back at him before she turned around. _'Okay. I can do this. Come on, Flora…you have this.'_

"You see, I…." The maid paused briefly, trying to steel herself once more, before speaking once more with renewed vigour. "I was wondering if you and I could….if you and I could at-"

"Lord Leo looks dashing tonight, does he not?" Jakob spoke suddenly, cutting off her request, causing Flora- and Corrin- to stare at him in confusion.

' _Leo? What's he playing at?'_ The prince thought to himself.

"L-Leo? I suppose he looks…..handsome tonight," Flora admitted, looking somewhat disappointed. "…..why do you ask?"

Jakob sighed almost dreamily. "I do not know what this feeling is….but I feel as if my heart has been inflamed at the very sight of Lord Leo!"

If Corrin had actually drunk any of the wine, he would've spat it out in exasperation.

' _Please tell me Jakob's messing with her, otherwise I may start crying,'_ the prince thought to himself.

Flora stepped back, looking even more disappointed. "…I-I see. Well then. I'll leave you to it then, Jakob."

She sighed, retreating from the scene as Jakob began forging his way through the crowd towards the younger prince. Frowning, she stood by Corrin, taking up a goblet of wine herself.

"…..I believe that was an unqualified failure," the maid replied, looking down as the prince rubbed her back comfortingly. "I shouldn't have tried-"

"It's not you, Flora," the prince reassured her. "Trust me, you did great. He's probably just…..wait a second. Leo?"

Flora blinked. "…yes, what about him?"  
"…..wait a second." Corrin held up a finger, looking towards his younger brother, who currently had Hinoka hugging his waist. Leo seemed to be in complete bliss, judging from his intense blush and his happy expression.

"Have I ever told you how cute I find bookworms?" The redheaded princess slurred out, her cheeks heavily rouged. Leo looked away embarrassedly.

"Ahah….eh….."

Corrin paused. It took him mere seconds to process what was going on.

' _No, that's not Hinoka. That's not Hinoka at all. No way Hinoka would just….up and glomp someone like that. No, there's something wrong.'_

"Flora, freeze this wine, please," Corrin requested, pointing at her goblet. "I need to see something."

Flora looked at him, confused. "Why do you need the wine frozen?"  
"….I need to check something quickly," the prince explained, his finger partially forming into a dragon's talon.

"O-oh, alright…." The maid concentrated, closing her eyes and placing her hands over the wine as it froze over, forming a red glazed-over mass in the goblet. The prince stabbed the ice with his talon, looking into it and thinking carefully.

"…..it didn't freeze right," Corrin nodded to himself, before tipping his own goblet on the floor. "This wine's been spiked with love potion."

Flora stared at him in surprise. "Love potion? Why? Who? Was this your doing?"  
"No, I don't believe in using that, it's far too easy to trace" The prince shook his head. "Which means…..oh. Oh _no_."

"What? What is it?" Flora asked. Corrin closed his eyes.

"Someone is playing a prank." _'And it's not me, for once. I'd better find the perpetrator, before-'_

"Corrin! Help!"

Corrin and Flora suddenly turned towards the sound of Leo's voice, as the younger prince dodged the adoring glances and gropes of the women- Hinoka herself included- attempting to squeeze at him.

"Come baaaaack, Leeeeooooo!" The princess slurred out, attempting to swipe at the prince to grab him. The younger man managed to dodge underneath her swipes, the alcohol and the potion's influence dulling her normally swift reflexes.

"P-Princess Hinoka, please!" Leo cried, his composure gone and exchanged with pure panic. "I…..this isn't you! Corrin, Flora, help!"

And he was running straight for them, leading the horde right behind him.

"Oh boy," Corrin groaned. "This ought to be fun."

* * *

 **To be continued…**

* * *

 **A/N: Well, thought it would be Corrin with a harem, huh? Nope! It's poor Leo this time. Guess he should've been careful what he wished for, no? Well then. Let's see how Corrin and Flora get him out of this fix.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, thoughts, suggestions and reviews, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	14. Corrin Reacts to Harems, Part 2!

**Corrin Reacts to Harems, Part 2!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Jeez, so much speculation and so much pity for Leo; not that I wouldn't pity him. Don't get me wrong, I'd** _ **love**_ **to have Hinoka glomping me too, but good god would I be running if the whole noble population of Nohr was after me. Anyway, now that the madness has begun, let's see how Corrin and co. pull themselves out of this one, eh? Enough rambling, let's get on with the disaster!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise we would have more default Butlers (gib butler Silas nao)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Brother! Help!" Leo cried as he smacked away Jakob's hand, the butler forgetting his composure in his amorous fugue. Corrin yanked his brother towards him, as Flora immediately stepped in and swept the first wave of admirers back with a burst of icy wind, looking back towards her liege and nodding.

"Do you have him, Corrin?"  
"Got him," the prince replied, placing himself between the crowd and his younger brother as he surveyed the crowd. He spied Azama being carried by several of the afflicted partygoers and being slowly marched towards them as a battering ram. Setsuna was still hanging off a torch, but she seemed to be sleeping and completely oblivious to the chaos going on around her. Meanwhile, Hinoka was _pouting_.

' _If Ryoma was here, I'd be going to hell for this,_ ' Corrin mused quietly to himself as he filed away the mental image of his tough-as-nails badass older sister pulling off the facial expression of a spoiled child.

"No fair, Corrin!" The princess cried indingantly. "I had Leo first! Give him back!"

"Corrin, you're the one who knows more about this kind of thing, help me!" Leo pleaded desperately, as the prince looked around, searching for an escape route. Flora slowly stepped back, her resolve faltering in the face of such overwhelming force.

"Corrin, I don't think we can fight so many people at once," the maid pointed out. "And I don't want to hurt Jakob much, either."

' _Dammit, she's right,'_ Corrin conceded. _'If we stay and fight, we'll be overwhelmed. As much as I'd_ love _to lock Hinoka and Leo in a room and let nature take its course, I'd prefer my older sister_ not _to be spiked with love potion while they're going at it. No, we need to figure out who did it and why. But first….'_

"Flora!" The prince yelled over at her, pointing at the door. "Let's get out of here!"

She immediately understood what he intended. "Got it!"

The prince grabbed Flora and Leo by the arms and shoved himself backwards, pushing the doors open with his shoulder. Almost immediately, Corrin released the maid from his arms, and Flora immediately whipped up a flash of ice, freezing the doors shut with an expanding web of ice as she slid backwards, skidding to a halt next to the prince. The door creaked with the weight of the partygoers and the web of ice cracked slightly, but held their weight. The maid closed her eyes, satisfied with her work.

"That should hold them off, Corrin."

Corrin nodded at Flora, sighing in relief. "Nice job with the doors. How long do you think we have?"  
"Five minutes, before either their sheer weight breaks the ice or the ice melts," the maid estimated. "We should leave before either happens."  
"Well, I think we s-should find who did that!" Leo sputtered out, attempting to regain his composure. "Who….why would anyone even _do_ that?"

"The most likely candidates right now are Niles, Camilla and Azura," Corrin concluded, already walking off down the corridor; Flora and Leo quickly followed suit, neither wishing to remain behind when the door broke down. "Niles did make sure you couldn't hide, Camilla would love for nothing more than her little brother to, as Niles would put it, _get laid_ , and Azura never _did_ tell me where she was going off to….."

Flora seemed disappointed as she briskly walked with the other two, sighing. "I was looking forward to asking Jakob to the Festival…."  
"Well, at least it's not you, right?" Corrin pointed out reassuringly. "As soon as he's _not_ attempting to ravish my little brother, you can take another stab at it."

"I suppose," Flora nodded, looking down sadly for a moment before shaking her head, recovering her composure. "…this isn't the time for that. What's our next course of action?"  
"We'll look for Niles first," the prince concluded. "If we find him, he might know what's up."

Leo dusted himself off, nodding. "And what if it isn't him?"  
"Then we find our dear beloved sister Camilla then. She's next most likely. If not, then gods help us, because I have _no_ clue where Azura's supposed to be right now."

"Why don't we just go look for Lord Xander?" Flora suggested helpfully. Leo shook his head.

"He's not here tonight. He never really was one for parties himself….." the prince thought to himself. "And yet he saw fit to let Camilla drag _me_ into one."

"Ugh! Weak! Get off of me!"

The three of them stopped suddenly, before a plump duchess in an unfitting dress was thrown across the corridor in front of them, a goblet of spiked wine splattering onto the floor as she murmured for her dear Leo to protect her. Corrin looked to the side to see-

"Oh. Hey. See you guys came for the party too, huh?" Scarlet waved at them, grinning, her Chevois armor glittering with various decorations she'd decided to put on herself, and a white flower taking pride of place on her chestplate.

Leo blinked for a moment, uncomprehending. "Scarlet? What are you doing here? I thought you were in Cheve."

"I got bored," the wyvern rider shrugged casually, dusting off her gauntlets. "Y'know, training people all day to be badasses like me kinda tired me out. I wanted a break for a bit. Heard you guys were holding a party up here, so I wanted in. Free wine and food can't hurt, right?"

Flora held up a finger, looking at her closely. "Wait. Miss Scarlet, you had none of the wine, right?"  
"Didn't get a chance to," she replied, looking a little disappointed at that. "I heard the Hoshidans were around, so I decided to go look for Ryoma- y'know, to catch up on old times, maybe get the guy to join me for drinks for once."  
"Drinks?" Leo tilted his head, seeming dumbfounded by Scarlet's brazenness. "You're asking the _King of Hoshido_ out for drinks?"

The wyvern knight seemed unbothered. "What? Can't a girl want to hang out with her completely oblivious friend for drinks? It's not like we didn't kick ass together during the war. Anyway, I was just on my way back from looking for Ryoma outside when some crazy lady tackled me and told me I couldn't have lover boy all for myself," Scarlet pointed over at Leo, before looking back to the older prince. "Why do you ask?"

Corrin breathed another sigh of relief. "Good. The wine's spiked. Someone put love potion in one of them and now my older sister and one of my best friends is trying to molest Leo."

Scarlet snorted amusedly as she walked over to join the group. "Well, I always thought Hinoka was a closet pervert and I'd be lying if I didn't expect someone to pull something like this. Well then, what're you guys going to do now?"

"We were going to attempt to find Niles," Flora explained. "We think he might've had something to do with this love potion."

"Ah, explains why he's a no-show," Scarlet concluded, nodding in agreement. "Knowing him, he'd never miss out a chance to laugh at lover boy's suffering. Mind if I tag along?"

Corrin smiled, shaking his head. "Well, we're in a castle full of Leo-obsessed nobles. I think the more the merrier seems like the rule of thumb right now."

"Sweet," Scarlet nodded, rubbing her hands together. "Let's get going then!"

* * *

 _Near Niles' room…._

"Niles?" Leo rapped lightly on the door to his retainer's room. Corrin and Flora stood guard nearby, looking around for any sign that the partygoers had broken free, while Scarlet stood next to the younger prince, waiting for the door to open.

"He in there?" The wyvern rider inquired, only for the door to swing open at Leo's touch. The prince blinked.

"…he left the door open?" Leo muttered under his breath as he pushed the door in. Scarlet followed closely, watching his back.

Flora sighed as she stood next to her liege, pushing one of her ponytails out of her way. "Corrin, while we have a moment of silence…." She turned away. The prince looked at her curiously.

"Huh? What is it, Flora?"

"…..it's nothing, really," the maid downplayed what she was about to ask, playing with an azure ponytail before untwisting it from her finger. "I meant to ask you something."

"Go on," Corrin replied.

"…why do you want Jakob and I to be together?" The maid inquired curiously. "Not that I'm ungrateful for your help, but…..why do you want to help me so much?"

"Well, Flora," the prince sighed, closing his eyes and speaking as if the answer was obvious. "You're one of my best friends. We've known each other since we were kids. Of course I want to make you happy."

"I know, but why not just…..do what happened today and spike Jakob's drink with love potions? Wouldn't that be faster for you?"  
"I want it to be love, not some temporary lust," Corrin replied dismissively, scoffing at the thought. "I could go spike his drinks with love potion, or I could try to hook you up so he sees you for the person you are. Which is to say, a pretty awesome person."

The maid blushed slightly at that, chuckling. "Corrin, you're too kind. But…..I still don't understand why you go to so much trouble on my behalf. I always notice that you go to too much trouble for other people. It may hurt you some-"  
"No," Corrin bluntly replied. "Never too much trouble. Never you. No matter how many times you say you're not worth it, I'm not going to accept that answer. You're my _friend_ , Flora. That's why I would go to so much trouble. It's the only answer I need. Not that I can't have a _little_ fun while I'm at it…." He chuckled to himself, keeping the secret that he had been behind pairing up Benny and Beruka and that most of his matchmaking was done through tactical pranking.

Flora blinked, before sighing, closing her eyes and smiling. "I should've known to expect that answer from you. I'll do my very best to help you with courting Azura. It seems only right."

The prince returned the smile. "Thanks. I appreciate that. But, I do have a question."

"Oh? What is it?" The maid inquired.

"What if…..this was all a ruse for me to get close to you?" Corrin replied teasingly, causing Flora to giggle and cup her hands to her mouth, blushing.  
"C-Corrin! Don't say such things! What if other people hear you? They'll think we're lovers!" Her expression suddenly changed to be more mischievous, as she decided to retaliate. "What if I say yes to you? What then?"

The prince raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Flora, dear, are you flirting with me? My, the tables have turned. What have _you_ done with the real, innocent Flora?"

The maid broke out into full laughter, shaking her head. Corrin smirked.

"Gotcha."

"I'm s-sorry, I just….." Flora took a moment to continue laughing. "….I haven't laughed so much in a while."

"Of course. You look nice when you laugh, you know?" Corrin casually commented. "It's a good look on you."

Flora was about to reply to that, before-

"GAH!" Leo cried suddenly, prompting the pair to look towards Niles' room. They immediately ran inside, before-

"Niles! Why are you….n-naked?!" The younger prince cried.  
Scarlet was pulling on someone wrapped around Leo's waist and failing to wrench them off. "Gods! He's like a limpet!"

"Lord Leo, you've grown a little, haven't you?" Niles teased, wrapped around Leo's waist with naught but a towel wrapped around his waist to preserve his modesty. "My, my. That your tome, or are you just happy to see me?"

Flora looked irritated. "So Niles drank his own potion. Corrin, should I-"  
"Wait, wait," the prince shook his head. "No, he's not under the effects of the potion."

Scarlet stared at him, confused. "How do you know?"  
"Ah," Niles sighed, desisting and extricating himself from Leo disappointedly as he looked over at the prince. "You ruined the fun. Just as it was about to get exciting as well…."

Corrin closed his eyes, shaking his head. "I didn't. That was a bluff."  
Leo grumbled, closing his eyes. "Niles, that _wasn't funny_."

"Aww. Don't you _want_ the adoring praise of your lusty, nubile admirers? Especially Hinoka. Ooh, I would be-"  
"Niles, not the time," Leo calmly reproached him, and the thief closed his eyes, nodding.

"Okay. I understand."

Corrin folded his arms. "Alright, Niles, give it up. Did you spike the wine?"  
"The wine? Oh, you mean…..ah," the thief nodded, smiling slyly. "…..no, I didn't touch it, and if I did, rest assured it'd be a _lot_ funnier."

Scarlet scoffed. "Likely story. Where were you, then?"

"It seems our dear friend Nyx decided to pay us all a visit tonight," Niles explained, sighing. "Sadly, she wasn't one for a party, although she seemed to be wanting to look for someone. I ran into her and we talked for a while. She wanted to hex my mouth shut, which by the way, sounds very-"  
His liege shot him a glare. " _Niles_."  
"Anyway," the thief cleared his throat. "We parted ways just as everyone else broke out and some people left the hall."  
Leo nodded slowly. "That would explain the woman who accosted Scarlet earlier. Do you know where-"

Suddenly, a loud crack, followed by a thud, sounded off elsewhere in the castle. Flora looked to Corrin immediately.

"They broke the door down. They'll be looking for Leo soon."  
"Nyx, huh?" The prince thought carefully. "She can probably figure out a spell to dispel the love potion, knowing her skills. Alright. Thanks, Niles. You know where she went?"  
"She took off towards the latrines to, and I quote, 'void herself of my dirty mouth'," the thief replied, remembering carefully. "She's probably holed herself up there to protect herself from the potion-crazed party."

Leo nodded. "Thanks. Niles, are you coming with us?"  
"As much as I'd like to, I believe Nyx will probably curse me into a much less fun form than this," Niles replied, shaking his head. "Sorry, milord. You're on your own for now."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" The younger prince inquired exasperatedly, causing the thief to break out into a mischievous smirk.

" _Immensely_."

Scarlet shuddered. "Gods, can you not? Anyway, we should probably go find Nyx before they get to her or us. Much as I'd love a fight, I'd rather not beat up anyone I know."

"Sounds like a plan!" Corrin nodded in agreement. "Let's go, quickly."

* * *

Corrin and the group made their way across the palace, looking around them as they passed to ensure that the roving crowd of love potion-dosed partygoers didn't see them. They could hear the sound of their feet thundering across the halls, the low, rumbling noise of chattering echoing through the corridors of Castle Krakenburg.

"This feels like one of those horror stories," Scarlet commented amusedly. "You know, the ones where they have some weird killer guy with an axe stalking people through a haunted house?"  
Leo shuddered at the thought. "Please, I don't need to imagine _Hinoka_ doing that."

"Oh, right, because she already is!" The wyvern rider answered, smiling brightly. Leo simply groaned in response.

Flora stuck close to Corrin, her eyes darting around for any signs of movement. "What do we do once we get to Nyx?"  
"Well, knowing her, she'll probably agree to help us. I doubt she has the patience to tolerate everyone here being half mad. In fact, I'm surprised she hasn't already."

"And I think that would explain why," Scarlet spoke up, gesturing towards the corridor leading to the latrines. Leo blanched in horror.

"Oh _gods_."

The corridor was blocked by a mass of amorous partygoers, slowly creeping towards the latrine doors, chanting Leo's name ecstatically. Corrin stepped back slowly, his hand instinctively reaching for his Dragonstone before realising he'd left it at home.

"Okay….." He muttered, stepping back. "Let's just back away _slowly_ ….."

A shadow swooped from the ceiling, rapidly diving towards them suddenly. Flora was the first to notice. Her eyes widened as she pushed Leo to the ground, before being picked up from behind by their new assailant with a loud yelp.

"Brother dear," Camilla uttered lustfully, the smell of wine around her making it clear she'd been affected by the love potion and had a fair bit of alcohol to go with it, too. "I know such a thing is forbidden, but you and I must show love for one another, no?"

Leo pulled himself to his feet, shaking his head as he watched Flora flail in the grasp of his older sister. "Even _Camilla_?! Who _else_ drank this wine?"

"Forget that!" Scarlet snapped, running towards the escaping Camilla. "We need to get Flora back!"

Corrin set off after her. "Right! Leo, come on! They know we're here now!"

As if on cue, the shuffling crowd of partygoers began picking up in speed, running towards them with their searching hands outstretched.

The younger prince swallowed firmly and ran behind his older brother.

…..

Corrin caught up to Scarlet, who was just behind Camilla's wyvern. The wyvern rider roared, before latching onto the undead wyvern's tail, grunting with the effort.

"HEY!" Scarlet yelled loudly, hanging on tight as she vainly tried to get the princess' attention. "You have the _wrong guy_!"  
Flora squirmed in Camilla's tight hug. "Lady Camilla, I assure you, I am _not_ Lord Leo! Please, let go!"

"Noooonsenseeee, you are my dear brother!" Camilla giggled, hiccupping as she planted a wine-smelling kiss on the maid's forehead. "You're so _cute_!"

Leo cringed behind Corrin, running behind him. "Please tell me she's not really like that!"  
"Contrary to what they write about you guys in the Outrealms, probably not!" The prince shot back.

The younger man stared at him in confusion. "Wait, what?! What was that about the Outrealms?"

"Never you mind!"

Flora closed her eyes to concentrate. "Lady Camilla, you leave me no choice!"

Cold air swirling around the maid, Flora prepared to use her powers to escape the situation before-

"He's all _mine_!"

Hinoka suddenly tackled Camilla off of the wyvern, causing the Nohrian princess to lose her grasp on Flora, who squealed as she clung onto the wyvern's neck for dear life. Both women flew off the wyvern, tussling with each other before the maid lost her grasp.

"Ah!"

"I got you!" Corrin dove underneath the maid, arms outstretched to catch her. His draconic strength showed itself as he managed to catch her without straining himself. Carefully lowering his arms, the prince allowed her to dismount on foot, dusting herself off.

"Thank you," the maid gratefully replied, as Scarlet landed next to them, looking around concernedly.

"Uh, guys? We're a bit trapped."

Leo and the wyvern rider backed up into Flora and Corrin as the crowd that was chasing them slowly closed in around them, reaching out to grasp at their target.

"Leoooooo…."  
"Love us!"  
"Don't ever leave us again!"

"I don't suppose you have any bright ideas?" Scarlet remarked as she backed away from a crazed Jakob.

Corrin looked around worriedly, searching for a way out.

' _Come on, come on, give me something, give me something!'_

Suddenly, a loud crack sounded between Corrin and Leo, and a plume of opaque smoke flew up and obscured everyone's sight. The loud murmuring of bewildered people could be heard all around them, as confusion and chaos reigned.

Flora coughed and covered her mouth, shutting her eyes and attempting to blow the smoke away with her ice powers, as a cold wind and ice crystals began to part the smoke. Before she could, however, someone grabbed her hand, yanking her forward.

"Ah?" The maid looked around, before-

"Relax, Flora. I've got you and Corrin."

Kana was beside her, Flora's hand in hers, pulling the prince along, who in turn was pulling Leo and Scarlet along out of the smoke. The young woman pulled them out of the way and moved them around a corner, out of sight.

Corrin breathed rapidly, sighing in relief as he peered around the corner, staring at the admirers popping out of the cloud of smoke. "Kana?! Where were you this whole time?"  
"I was busy preparing an escape route," Kana explained curtly as she gestured towards a side corridor. "I was accosted by a victim of the love potion while I was in the latrines. Given the situation, there were several possibilities of escape. None of them apart from acquiring Nyx's assistance were viable without causing injury to a vast majority of the partygoers."  
"And the smoke bomb? Where'd you get that?"  
"I fashioned it from materials in the latrines," the young woman explained casually. The prince looked aside for a moment.

"Makes sense. So you didn't spike the wine?"  
"I couldn't have. I was in the antechamber of your home the whole time before the party," Kana replied calmly.

Scarlet sighed. "Seems rather convenient you managed to come out with a smoke bomb and an escape plan, but considering you saved all our butts back there, I'll give you a pass."

Leo nodded slowly. "Alright. So we just need to get to Nyx and she can fix all of this, right?"

* * *

"No," Nyx bluntly replied, a hand on her hip as she stared down at the group. "I can't fix this problem for you."

The group stood in the latrines with the door barricaded by several crates and (empty) chamberpots and any bric-a-brac they could find. Outside, the sound of shuffling feet could be heard, as the crowd searched desperately for their targets. Scarlet was standing guard by the door and Corrin was standing by the window, looking outside as if he was waiting for something. Flora was catching a breather near the chamberpots, leaning against the wall, as the younger prince and Kana talked with the dark mage, who was drawing some sort of magical circle on the floor with one hand on a stick drawing said circle.

Leo stared at her in confusion. "What? You can't fix this?"

"Not without knowing what these people were dosed with," Nyx reiterated, huffing. "You young people should really have thought to figure out _what_ they took before coming to me."  
"You're a master of countercurses," Kana explained. "We assumed you knew one for this."

The dark mage stared at her as if she'd told her that two plus two was five. "That is an asinine assumption to make, that you can just _magic_ _away_ a problem with a random spell. It's not how it works."

"Can you actually do something about the problem, then?" Leo inquired hopefully. Nyx tapped her chin as she looked towards the mirrors in the room carefully, sighing.

"Well….I suppose there _is_ a way to fix them," the dark mage concluded. "I _could_ put a sleeping spell on the castle and put them to sleep until the potion's effects run their course. However, the spell would be so powerful that even I would be barely able to keep it from affecting me. You would all end up asleep too as a result."  
"Could you put it on some sort of timer?" Kana suggested quietly.

The dark mage muttered something to herself for a moment, mulling the idea over. "I could do it, easy. Just find me a way out, child, and let us get on with it."

Flora tapped Corrin on the shoulder, prompting him to look over at her. "Yes?"  
"Corrin, what are you doing?"  
"I'm calling in a favour or two," the prince explained, holding up a quill and a parchment in his hand and pointing to a pigeon flying away with a scroll in their feet. "If we're going to get out of this without my little brother being literally drowned by adoration by his crazy fangirls and fanboys, we're going to need some help from the outside."

"Are you calling Silas in?"

"Something bigger."

Scarlet sighed, crossing her arms. "This party blows. I was looking forward to free food and drink and getting to catch up with Ryoma and now I'm locked in the _latrines_."

"Least you're not being chased by your friends and your _sister_ who want to rip all your clothes off and do something unspeakable to you," Leo pointed out. "You only had the Duchess of Southern Nestria tackle you and got dragged along by an undead wyvern."

"Wyvern scales play _hell_ on your skin."

"Why are you here, anyway?" The younger of the princes inquired to Nyx, who gave him a sharp glare.

"Can't an old woman show up and have some fun for herself?" The dark mage huffed. "Honestly."

Scarlet rolled her eyes. "Please. You're probably not that old even when you don't look like a flower girl with too much chalk."

"W-who're you calling a child?" Nyx remarked irritably, her eyelid twitching. "I'll turn you into a frog, you freckled brat!"

"Freckled brat?!" Scarlet glared at her. "You're one to talk! I ought to-"

"Ladies!" Corrin stepped between both of them, pushing them aside from each other. "We're kinda trapped in a latrine. If you could save murdering each other until we're out of here, that would be _great_."

Suddenly, the door shook, and a pot stacked on top of the barricade clattered onto the floor, smashing apart. Kana tensed, shuddering.

"They're here."

Nyx sighed, taking out a stick and a jar of powder before spraying the powder onto the floor and drawing a circle. "Alright, everyone get ready. I'm going to draw that sleeping spell now!"  
For a moment, all was silent, as everyone stood there, waiting for Nyx to prepare her spell.

Then, everyone was alarmed as the door and barricade flew apart, a blast of dark magic soaring through the door and flying over Nyx's head. The dark mage almost instinctively retaliated with a countercurse of her own, before realising she was still standing among innocents and friends. Instead, she dove aside, grabbing Scarlet's hand. "Get down, child!"

Under any other circumstance, the wyvern rider would've protested. Instead, she was content with following Nyx's orders, covering her head with her hands and using a nearby pot as a barricade. Corrin pushed Flora aside, taking a blast of dark magic on by throwing a tray of soap at it, causing both magic and tray to vanish, while Kana yanked Leo aside behind the column opposite.

"Dear Leo," Jakob cried, leading the crowd as a dark magic-wielding nobleman followed him from behind, being the source of the burst of magic. "Where are you? I merely wish to express my overflowing love for you!"

Corrin cringed. "Gods, please tell me that's not how he makes pillow talk, otherwise I'd feel for you Flora."

"That's not how I'd like to be confessed to like that either….." The maid admitted, hiding behind the column with him. "Do you have a plan to get out of here?"

"Just you wait," Corrin reassured her. "They'll be here any minute now."

Kana looked over at him confusedly. " _Who'll_ be here any minute now?"

A loud, deep roar sounded from the depths of the palace, stopping everyone dead for a few moments, before the rampage continued. Scarlet stared at Corrin strangely.

"What the hell?! Did you get an army of _bears_?!" The wyvern rider snapped. The prince merely smirked.

"Well, who needs an army of bears…." He started smugly.

Leo was about to reply before he noticed a large, black mass swatting noblewomen and noblemen alike out of their way, cleaving a path through the group.

"Is that a _Faceless_?" Flora inquired dumbfoundedly. Corrin simply waited as the mass approached them.

Then, everyone understood as the mass drew close enough to be recognised.

Corrin took this opportunity to finish what he was saying. "…when you have a Benny?"

Benny roared as he shoved Jakob roughly out of the way, his large muscular frame shrugging off dark magic and the blows of even Camilla alike. Behind him, a swathe of unconscious victims of the love potion lay as testament to the sheer power of the knight who had rampaged through their midst.

"Corrin, I got your letter," he breathed out, resting himself for a moment as he clambered to a stop. "We didn't know you were in deep."

Leo's eyes widened. "We? Wait a second-"  
"Nyx!" Corrin yelled as he pulled Scarlet and Flora towards the outside wall. "Finish that spell!"

"Spell? Oh, right!" The dark mage nodded, pulling herself to her feet and grabbing the stick she had been using to draw her sleeping hex, finishing it off with a few strokes. "Alright! How are we supposed to escape?"  
"Like _this_!" Benny declared, before picking up Kana and Nyx like a pair of pillows and bundling them underneath each arm. With a roar, the knight charged the wall Corrin was standing next to, cracking a hole in the wall and sending the three of them plummeting towards the ground below.

Kana's composure broke as she started screaming. "BENNY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Don't worry!" The knight reassured her in as soft a voice as he could muster "We're safe! Hold on!"

He flipped around pushing Nyx and Kana above him and hugging them tightly to his body.

"In position!"

Benny landed with a grunt on the back of Beruka's wyvern, taking the brunt of the impact for himself and protecting the two women in his arms. Kana and Nyx rolled out of his arms, managing to find footholds on the back of the dragon, as the knight righted himself from his position.

The assassin looked over at her partner, pulling the reins of her wyvern up to compensate for the immensely increased weight. "Did you get the targets?"

"They're our friends, not targets," Benny replied, sighing as he wrapped his arms around Beruka's waist for safety. "We talked about this. No assassination talk."  
"Sorry," she replied slightly guiltily with a faint dusting of red on her cheeks. "It is a habit of mine. I'm trying my best….dear. Did I say 'dear' right?"

Benny smiled, his hug around her tightening slightly. "Of course."

Scarlet looked down at their escaping allies, before staring at Corrin appreciatively. "Oh. _Oh_. You're _good_. Mind if I give us another ride?"

"The more the merrier!" The prince declared, looking behind them as the partygoers began recovering from the rampage Benny had wrought upon them.

Scarlet grinned cheerfully. "Alright! Here we go!" Pressing two fingers into her mouth, she whistled loudly, waiting for a few moments before jumping out of the hole, landing on her own wyvern that had flown up at the sound of her whistle.

"Climb on!" She roared as she flew up level to the hole, letting the others still stuck in the palace mount her wyvern.

"Ladies first," Corrin offered, gesturing for Flora to climb on. The maid nodded gratefully, climbing on as fast as possible. Leo stood by, waiting.

"Well?"  
"Ladies first, Leo," the prince reminded him, grinning. Leo rolled his eyes.

" _Very_ funny, brother."

"Just get on before Jakob yanks you back in."

The younger prince shook his head, climbing onto Scarlet's wyvern, followed by the older brother.

"Alright!" Scarlet announced. "Let's go!"

Nyx turned back, mounted on Beruka's wyvern, to face the castle. "Stay still, children. I'll end this!"

She closed her eyes, before blasting a bolt of magic with pinpoint accuracy at the circle of hexing she'd created.

The people inside the castle were asleep in moments, hitting the floor instantly. Camilla's arm was around Hinoka, the Nohrian princess hugging her Hoshidan counterpart tightly in her sleep, while Jakob was curled up on the ground, sleeping like a baby.

* * *

Corrin was the first to dismount as the two wyverns landed, just beyond the borders of Windmire. Benny sighed as he clambered off Beruka's wyvern, his relief palpable. "We survived. Never doing that again."

"I promise, Benny, I am never making you do that again," Corrin reassured him with a pat on the wrist. "I just needed someone to help break us out."

"It was the least we could do," Beruka replied calmly. "We owe you for what you did for us. It's….what friends do. Is that what they say?"

Benny nodded quietly to confirm it. The assassin's eyes lit up like a praised child's, before she adjusted the headband on her head to hide her palpable happiness at getting an idiom right.

Leo exhaled deeply. "….well, thank the gods that night's over."

Scarlet looked disappointed. "Kinda was looking forward for a nice party….but I have to hand it to ya, that escape was pretty hardcore. Even if the execution was a little weak."  
"Always the critic," the prince rolled his eyes jokingly.

Scarlet replied by sticking her tongue out at him. "Ryoma's still cooler than you."

"He's _Ryoma_."

"Exactly."

Flora dusted herself off. "Well….even if that didn't succeed in the initial aim…..that was, dare I say it, a little fun."

"Speak for yourself," Leo groaned, closing his eyes and taking a seat on the ground. "I just want to go sleep and forget today ever happened."

"Oh. Hello."

Everyone looked up to see Azura and Lilith, the former in her black veiled dress and the latter in a modest white gown, approaching them casually. Corrin raised an eyebrow.

"Azura, you're….well-dressed," he remarked, looking at the songstress. Azura tilted her head slightly.

"Corrin, I assumed you were at the ball Camilla organised," she explained. "I wanted Lilith here to get out more, so I went out to Hoshido to buy her a nice dress."  
"Y-yeah," Lilith nodded to corroborate her story. "Azura wanted m-me to go out some more. She didn't like me being cooped up in the palace s-so much…."

The songstress looked them up and down. "You all look like you were dragged through a warzone. What happened?"

"It's a….." Corrin looked around, shaking his head. "….long story."

Nyx chimed in. "You know, we never did find out who was responsible for all that…."

….

 _Minutes ago, elsewhere in Windmire…._

"Huh," Hayato blinked as he watched the crystal ball in Orochi's hands, seeing the chaos occurring in Castle Krakenburg. The diviner smirked mischievously.

"And now you know just _who_ is the superior potionmaster," Orochi declared proudly. Hayato shuddered.

"…..you didn't need to take it _that_ far."  
"Of course I did," Orochi scoffed. "You never would've believed me if I hadn't. And besides, wasn't that _entertaining_? I know I was entertained."  
"Miss Nyx is going to be angry about this…." The younger of the two looked away, frowning. The diviner grinned.

"What, scared of making her angry? I didn't know you were into older women."  
"I-it's not like that!" Hayato snapped. Orochi giggled.

"Ooh. Touchy, touchy. Corrin was right about you, you're easy," she remarked by wagging her finger, before sighing. "Well…it's best Corrin never finds out I did all this. He might…..not approve that I put him through that."

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Well, well. Anyway, that's done now. Next chapter; Corrin Reacts to The Mechanist's Secret Power, all thanks to our regular reviewer** **robotortoise** **! Woo!**

 **Anyway, so, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, reviews, suggestion and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	15. Mechanist's Secret Power Reaction, Pt 1!

**Corrin Reacts to The Mechanist's Secret Power, Part 1!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Man, last chapter, we did a** _ **lot**_ **. We introduced Scarlet, we introduced Nyx, we teased Florrin, we even had everyone's favourite cuddly bear and adorable murderer show up. Also, it just occurred to me, but if we gave Azura cat ears, would we call her Azunyan? Cookies if you get that joke. Anyway, hats off for** **robotortoise** **, who's kindly allowed us to feature his story; if you're reading, know that you are awesome, one of the best writers I've seen in the archive, and that we over here love you for the awesome guy you are! And for the rest of you guys, please go read his work, it's way better than this. Anyway, let's get on with this!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise we'd have more catgirls in Fates. (You turn the games more anime-like and you don't have catgirls? Disgraceful.)**

 **The Mechanist's Secret Power belongs to** **robotortoise** **.**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Aawwwwww! Why noooooot?" Elise pleaded, putting on her best teary eyes and pouting lips as she looked up at her big brother. Corrin sighed, completely unaffected by his sister's attempts; living with her for years had already inoculated him to her powers.

"Elise, I am _not_ teaching you how to make puppets of yourself."

"But whyyyyyyy? I promise I won't do anything bad with it!" The princess pleaded. "Pleaaaaase?"

"You also said that when we let you try to make a meringue on the kitchen," Corrin reminded her, pointing to a sugar-and-egg-yolk covered Felicia standing next to her.

Elise whimpered, sounding like the most adorable wounded puppy ever. "It was just an accident….."

"Y-you got the e-egg…all the way up in the ceiling….."Felicia pointed out, shivering from how cold and sticky the yolk felt on her neck. Corrin nodded his head slightly to Felicia, the maid's testimony proving his point.

"Point stands, Elise. I'm not teaching you how to make puppets."

The princess puffed her cheeks out, pouting as she stood up. "Meanie! I'll just get Kaze to teach me!"

She stormed off, leaving Corrin and Felicia alone in his office. The prince sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Eighteen years old and yet Elise still acts like a child," Corrin remarked exasperatedly. "A minute longer of that and I would've caved."

Felicia chuckled a little. "I-It's adorable how s-she still looks up to you as a big brother, enough to live here with you. Even if she's a little….messy."

Corrin sighed. "Yeah. She's a handful. You see why I didn't recruit her into the Order. Though I'll admit, that adorable puppy face she makes, I could use on someone. Extortion by little sister….that's a rare sentence."

Kaze walked into the room, looking around. "Ah. Felicia, I've drawn up a bath for you. We can get you cleaned off now."  
"Eh?" The maid's eyes widened as her cheeks went red. "U-u-uh…..K-Kaze….I-I can't take a bath with you in the r-room….t-that would be….ah…."  
"I meant that you could take a bath now. It was only a turn of phrase," the ninja tilted his head. "Flora showed me where your spare uniforms were, so I've prepared a change of clothes for you."

"O-oh…." Felicia sounded equally disappointed and relieved. "Alright. W-we should go….my neck feels sticky…."

As the ninja and the maid left the room, Corrin sighed, shaking his head as he chuckled.

"Felicia and Kaze, huh?" The prince mused to himself. "….I ship it."

Suddenly, both Azura and Flora walked into the room, looking around.

"Ah, Corrin," the songstress smiled. "Do you mind if I stay here for a bit? My room stinks to high heaven and I can't figure out why."  
"I've attempted to fix the cause of the problem, and we've decided to just leave the door to her room open," the maid explained. "Just so the stench would go out. I decided to come with Lady Azura because, well, there doesn't seem to be anything else that needs doing right now."

Corrin raised an eyebrow. "…..alright. Uh….okay. Well, I was just going to read some fanfic, so, uh…yeah, sure."

Azura tilted her head. "Hm? Is it another fanfic about us? My, my, Corrin."  
"Well, you're in it. Does that count?"

Flora took a seat, sidling up next to Corrin to face the laptop screen. "What is this about, then?"

"I found a story that was about us taking advantage of how mechanists can make those puppets that look _so_ lifelike," the prince explained. Azura cocked an eyebrow.

"Advantage, hm? I can think of a few ways." A mischievous smirk grew across her light, porcelain face.

Flora stared at her, shocked. "L-Lady Azura!"  
"I was only thinking about how it would be useful to execute a few tasks that needed doing," the songstress replied teasingly. "Why, what did you think I was talking about?"

Flora closed her eyes, sighing exasperatedly. "You will excuse my tone, but one could mistake you for talking about something more indecent." Azura merely chuckled in response.

"I never realised you were this fun to tease, dear~"  
Corrin rolled his eyes. "Excuse Azura. She's just a tease. You know this."

The songstress shrugged, not even denying Corrin's accusation. "A woman gets bored. What is one to do?"

Flora looked to her liege. "I see where you got the teasing attitude now."

"Are you complaining about it? You were okay with it a few nights ago," the prince replied cheekily.

The maid almost giggled at that, shaking her head. "You like teasing people so much. It's…..strangely comforting."

Azura raised an eyebrow, but did not speak a word further. Corrin sighed, clapping his hands together as he went back on his laptop, searching around.

"Alright, alright, enough screwing around," the prince announced. "Let's get on with this. Now…..where was it? It was….hm."

"Exploiting the puppeteer's puppets, hm? Interesting…." Azura mused, nodding to herself.

"Ah. Here we go!" Corrin declared as he clicked on the link to begin reading.

* * *

 _Corrin's Dilemma_

"Extortion by little sister," Corrin remarked, shuddering. "Elise is truly a dangerous opponent."

Azura nodded. "I honestly wonder how Xander's immune to such adorableness."

"This reminds me of how Felicia was when we were children," Flora mused, smiling slightly. "She was a little like Lady Elise, actually….."

Corrin almost burst out laughing at the comment. "Felicia, acting like Elise? Good gods."  
"I can see her still, just cuddling her bear and tugging at my arm to play with her," the maid remarked nostalgically. "She really was a handful…..before…."

Then she fell silent.

Corrin and Azura knew what came after; Felicia and Flora had been spirited to the Northern Fortress by King Garon, held as leverage to prevent a rebellion by the Ice Tribe. The prince looked away, shaking his head for a moment.

"….aaaanyway, let's, uh, change the subject!" Corrin announced cheerily. Judging by Flora and Azura's expressions, the change of topic was welcomed. "Err….ah. Gods help us if Elise ever gets a puppy."

The songstress chuckled. "If we gave her a puppy, I think that might be double the extortion…."

Flora shuddered. "Considering the mess Lady Elise left in the kitchen this morning, I already doubt that being a wise decision…."

"…..how does that even work?" Corrin squinted. "I'm pretty sure Friendship Seals don't work like that."

Azura lifted an eyebrow. "You seem a little….stupid in this fic, if I'm honest. Achievements in ignorance? Maybe you should try it."

Corrin's eyes narrowed. " _Very_ funny, Azura."

"I live to please~"

Flora snorted at the image of Corrin dancing with himself. "…..well…at least there's another use for those weird puppets."  
"I never understood how those worked," Azura confessed, tilting her head. "I always assumed mechanists used some sort of magic to manipulate their puppets."

Corrin shrugged. "I guess we're going to find out here, huh?"

 _Dancing with Myself_

Azura rolled her eyes. "Definitely stupid. And…Fox-trot? You could do better than that."

"It's a halfway decent pun," the prince pointed out, shrugging. "And hey, I'm not _that_ much of a klutz! Come on!"

The songstress smirked. "I think I'm beginning to like this story."  
"Oh, shut up. You're in this story too."  
"I'm probably better off than the man dancing like a drunk Faceless."

Flora almost burst out in laughter at the image of a thumbsucking Xander, barely keeping it in with a hand cupped over her mouth. "Oh….if Lord Xander saw this…."  
"If Lord Xander saw this, he'd probably kill me," Corrin remarked casually. "And it would be totally worth it."

Azura raised an eyebrow. "It seems you also have the fashion sense of a drunk Faceless in this story, too."  
Corrin looked utterly exasperated. "And I look like the cheap ripoff of Sergeant Hartman. Great."  
"General who?" Flora looked at him curiously.

"You know how harsh Gunter was training us?"  
"Yes?"  
"Think of that, but twice as bad and with Gunter swearing at us along the way."

"Ooh," the maid shook her head. "Ah. That would be….rather bad, yes."

"Handkerchief Porcupines?" Azura blinked. "…..that's the best I came up with? I must admit, I'm a little disappointed."

The princes closed his eyes. "And with _that_ little segment about stats, there goes the fourth wall. And apparently Xander's _also_ stupid. Seriously, the gall bladder is where the soul is now?"

"It's as good a place as any," the songstress replied. "And…..oooh. Oooh. Wow."

"Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me. Really?!" Corrin looked exasperated as he saw him and Azura begin to engage in intimate activities. "…..I swear, every fic…."

The songstress grinned. "My, my, Corrin. Are you entirely sure you're not trying to say something to me?"

"Why would he be?" Flora interjected hastily. "Maybe it's just incidental that you and Corrin are doing….well, _that_."

Azura frowned slightly at that. "Ah. Flora, you're no fun….."

 _How Shigure Lost Chalkboard Privileges_

"…..you know, Shigure really is a good name for a boy," Azura mused to herself. "If I have children, maybe I'll name my son Shigure."

Corrin shrugged. "I'm not sure I'd name my children Kana, myself. It'd be a little confusing, what with the other Kana running around."

Flora tilted her head. "Who are Soleil and Nina? Do we know anyone by those names?"  
"…..well, I hear that in the game they made about us in the Outrealms, those are Niles and Laslow's kids," the prince explained. "….actually, that would explain why they're talking about chests."

Azura chuckled. "Men's chests _are_ rather snuggly, I must admit. Remember when I snuggled up against yours?"  
"It was a cramped carriage, Azura. And my face was nose deep in _yours_."

Flora's eyes widened. "C-Corrin!"

"It was a….very uncomfortable carriage ride and the thing was too small," Corrin elaborated. "…..and, well…..yeah."

The songstress shrugged. "It's not a big problem. Corrin and I are friends. I know he won't do anything."

"Well, not if you keep implying you want me to."

"I'm not the one who keeps finding stories about us, as Niles would say, donning the velvet hat," Azura shot back cheekily.

' _These two really are good friends,'_ Flora mused to herself, smiling a little at the banter. _'….I wonder why Corrin would need my help to confess his feelings for her? Maybe it's harder if you've known them longer….'_

Corrin tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, Flora, you alright?"  
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine," the maid nodded back. "I was just…..thinking about how you two got along so well. Don't mind me."

"Maybe we're soulmates," Azura remarked drily. "And Corrin's obsession with finding fics about the two of us being in a romantic relationship is his way of subconsciously dealing with it."

Corrin rolled his eyes. "You're flattering yourself too much. Jakob would be much better for you anyway."

"Don't knock it until you try it, like you said they say in the Outrealms," the songstress replied cheerily.

 _Anna and the Felicias_

"Xander speaks truth," Azura remarked drily. "If you ever wear a hat like that in real life, I reserve the right to disown you as a friend."

Corrin frowned. "Alright, that's a little too far. Jakob's not insane, and Felicia's not bad….Flora, you were pretty nice….."  
The maid looked away a little guiltily at that, but nodded. "It was nothing, really…."  
"….and Gunter was like a father to me," the prince finished. "Of course, I'm not going to deny the dreadful social life only having three servants and an old soldier around to talk to would give me…."  
"And now you have the social skills of a dead fish," Azura noted. "Did I mention how much I'm liking this story?"

Flora nodded in agreement with her sister's remarks. "Actually…..I never did understand why you never wore shoes."

"Eh, shoes never really worked with me," Corrin admitted, frowning at the thought. "And, of course, turning into a giant dragon made wearing them inconvenient, considering I'd just split them into pieces when I transformed."

The maid's eyes widened. "F-Felicia! No! What? Why did she just _kill_ her?!"

"She'll be back, there's about twelve more chapters," Corrin reassured her. "….and really, retreating? Seems my social skills aren't the only thing I inherited from a dead fish."

"RyomCorrina?" Azura snorted. "Well, we know who _they_ expected you to marry. And….really, Corrin, as a _dragon_?"

Flora simply hid her face, which was currently redder than the tomatoes Leo claimed not to be obsessed with. "…..um."

The prince merely cringed. "…..I…..I don't even have….well, _those_."

"Why do you keep censoring yourself?"

"This fic needs to stay rated T _somehow_ ," Corrin commented, before continuing. "…..at this point, I think Jakob's the only sane person in this whole story."

"I….don't think I'd be the kind of person to tell you to pick a class on the basis of its coolness," Flora confessed, a vaguely annoyed look in her eyes. "…..and oh no. Felicia, please, don't tell me you're-"  
"Yep, she's doing it," Corrin facepalmed. "And she thinks I'm her husband."

Azura smirked. "First me, _then_ Felicia? My, Corrin, I'd think you'd be trying to seduce dear innocent Flora next, too."

"Don't be absurd," the maid retorted. "…..besides, Corrin wouldn't feel like that about me anyway. I'm just his maid."

Azura raised an eyebrow. "If Corrin really did want to be with you, you should know better than I do that he wouldn't care at all if you were just his maid."

"W-what?"

"Nothing," the songstress remarked, smiling. "I'm just saying, you should be a bit more confident in yourself. Especially about Jakob."

"O-oh….right, thank you," Flora nodded hastily.

* * *

 _Robin the Spotlight_

"No less timely than cookies aren't tasty. Right," Corrin nodded slowly. "Well, at least I'm not the only stupid one. Leo would be fuming."

Azura lifted an eyebrow. "So would Takumi, it seems. And Camilla, protective as always."  
"….great, so this Robin is basically even more attractive than Jakob and Kaze combined," Corrin facepalmed, shaking his head. "I'd kill for one of him if it meant Camilla would leave me alone."

Flora blinked. "...indeed, I think this Robin and their Corrin would be…." She closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. "….a handful to handle."

"This whole situation is a handful," Corrin groaned. "…whoever this Lucina is, I have the distinct feeling she wouldn't be happy reading about whatever _this_ is."

Azura sighed, shaking her head. "I wonder how this Robin got married, considering that if you have the social skills of a dead fish, he has the social skills of an angry rabid badger. Not that their Camilla's any better."  
"Honestly, I don't know if I prefer being kidnapped or Camilla putting up the act of a 'sexy mother'," Corrin shuddered. "They're equally bad…."

"I can bail you out of being kidnapped," Flora reminded him. "I can't stop her from…..doing _that_."

"…..good point, actually. I'll take being kidnapped, between Flora and I, I'll get out free," the prince remarked, remembering the last time Camilla had kidnapped him for fear of the prankster attacking him.

Azura tilted her head. "…since when did I know how to play the guitar?"

"Since you wanted to seduce a guy you just met."

"Corrin, you don't want to start this, because you know I'll win," the songstress confidently remarked. The prince smirked mischievously.

"Oh, _test me_."

Flora giggled. "You two, honestly, you remind me of an old married couple, as clichéd as that may sound."

"The difference being that I don't intend to marry him any time soon," Azura reminded her. "Besides, I already live in his house, steal his food and mooch off his riches. I don't need anything else."

"Freeloader," Corrin teased.

 _Alternate Astral Realm_

"I always found the Einherjar a little…..creepy," Flora confessed, frowning. "…to think it could be any one of us we could summon from those cards. A soulless copy of us, too…."

Corrin nodded in agreement. "That's why I never went to that shop. Thank the gods we never needed them too. Also…..yeah, Kana would probably kill me if I started tickling her like that."

"I wouldn't," Azura teased him. "Well, unless you turned into a dragon like the last time you were on top of me."

The maid raised an eyebrow. "….Huh? Did Robin call Selena 'Severa'?"

"Odd name," the songstress commented. "Selena's a better name."  
Corrin shrugged. "Severa has a ring to it, though, I'll admit. Still, don't think she's hiding a name like that from us."

Corrin, of course, neglected to tell them that he in fact already had figured out Selena's name was Severa a long time ago. In fairness, it was hardly his fault; he was in the infirmary to watch over Ryoma, and Selena, who had been injured in the battle prior, talked in her sleep.

"Of course _Anna_ would charge people to use the gate," Azura sighed. "Anything to get a bit more money. Where is she, anyway?"  
"She said she had to go sell something in some place called Ylisse or something," Corrin explained, shrugging. "She'd be back around now, as far as I recall."

The songstress almost grinned at Flora as she continued reading. "Ah….indeed, the scandalous relationship between a servant and her master. Truly, a beautiful romance."  
"…..are you implying I'd pursue something like that with Corrin?" The maid inquired calmly.

"As they say, I'd ship it," Azura replied teasingly. "Not that I am. No, I know you're into Jakob."

Flora closed her eyes. "If I were foolish, I'd think you _want_ me to be with Corrin. Jakob is just fine, thank you."

"Oh, I know. I'm just teasing."

"Odin and Laslow, making fools of themselves," Corrin remarked, sighing. "…..and good _gods_ Peri is…."

Azura shuddered at the thought of an insane clown Peri. "At least _our_ Peri is relatively docile….."

"…..we can go add Saizo and Ryoma to the list of people who would go berserk if they ever saw this story," Corrin remarked amusedly.

"Really, at this point, the only people who wouldn't be annoyed by this fic are Niles, Scarlet and Yukimura, wherever he's gone," Azura noted drily. "…..and you're also a deviant. Great."

Corrin groaned. "You're kidding."

 _The Interdimensional Pathway_

"….for a moment, I honestly thought Felicia was about to say she was collecting Corrin's hair," Azura mused. "It wouldn't be completely insane."

Corrin nodded slowly. "…..well, thank gods I got to a decent Outrealm that wasn't a literal burning inferno. Or the aftermath of Felicia's cooking."

"…..I would be insulted for her, but sadly, I know exactly what you mean," Flora sighed, closing her eyes.

"…..you flipped a coin to choose which side you joined," the songstress remarked, giving Corrin a deadpan look. "You nearly decided the fate of a kingdom, on the basis of a _coin flip_."

Corrin groaned for the umpteenth time. "…this Corrin makes me want to bash my head in already and we haven't even gone halfway through the story. First the coinflipping and then me….am I seriously ogling myself?"

Azura snorted. "Yes, I believe you are. I never thought you could use 'bangs' as a euphemism for-"  
"I wish our Jakob was that….enthusiastic," Flora admitted, frowning slightly.

"Oh! Great!" the prince threw his hands up. "And now I'm fantasising about Garon. Truly, there is a special Hell, and this Corrin is probably going there."

The songstress shuddered at the thought. "Sexy Garon…please, let's never speak of this again. I think I just…. _imagined_ it….."

Flora closed her eyes. _'It seems that both Corrin and Lady Azura are deviants in this story. Thank the gods neither of them are like that here…."_

"Odin and Laslow fanboying over themselves," Azura sighed exasperatedly, hurriedly attempting to change the subject from Garon and perverted thoughts involving him. "Well, well. Two Odins, I would say, are even worse than two Elises…."

"At least it wasn't that bad of an Outrealm," Corrin nodded. "Just a mirror flip. It could've been worse."  
"How?" Flora looked at him, curiously.

"It could've been a world full of Nileses."

"…..ah," the maid nodded slowly. "I can see why that would be worse."

 _Odd Outrealms_

Corrin looked very nauseous at the thought of Garon playing with Niles in a rather indecent manner. "…..well, I don't think I'm sleeping tonight."

"Neither am I, and I _like_ Niles," Azura cringed, looking away from the screen for a moment to collect herself. "…..Asszura. Seriously. That's…..possibly the stupidest thing I have heard this version of you spout, and I've heard enough to last a lifetime."

"…Freudian slips, your name is me," Corrin complained. "…..and Izana would be disappointed if he heard he just got forgotten."  
"Even your alternate female self is interested in me," the songstress noted. "Really, Corrin, if you want to say something to me, just say it."

The prince sighed. "….and now Robin is flirting with my female self. Great. Well. This situation, as they say, has entirely gone to pot."

"How could you forget Lilith?" Flora inquired, frowning. "I think she'd be offended if she ever read this. Leela? Linley?"  
"…...and now my alternate selves are…..great," Corrin nodded slowly. "Just great. So both of them are perverts."

Azura blinked. "The Ghostrealm. The _Ghostrealm_. And Odin and Selena are married here. Oh, gods, this ought to be good."

"Two Felicias, ghosts of us and now they're trapped," Corrin summed up. "….and Jakob ended up in a world full of _corn puns_. Why am _I_ a giant corn monster?!"

Flora frowned. "Well, your name does sound suspiciously similar to 'corn'….."

"Kornna? Really?" the prince closed his eyes. "Oh boy."

Azura sighed. "Oh boy indeed. Flora, are you alright?"  
"This story's….odd, admittedly, but….there's no point in siting here and giving up now," the maid replied. "Why?"

Corrin closed his eyes. "I guess we keep reading then. Eight more chapters of me as an idiot sexual deviant, stupid puns and hideous fantasies not even _Niles_ would approve of."

Azura swallowed deeply. "Yes. Eight more chapters of this. No turning back now."

The prince had a look of utmost exasperation on his face. " _Joy._ "

* * *

 **To be continued…**

* * *

 **Chapter count: 8/16**

 **A/N: Well, wasn't that a thing? Anyway, another huge shoutout to** **robotortoise** **for making all this possible; again, go read his story instead of this, it's way better and far funnier. So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, suggestions, reviews and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	16. Mechanist's Secret Power Reaction, Pt 2!

**Corrin Reacts to The Mechanist's Secret Power, Part 2!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Jeez, you guys just can't get enough Azurrin tease, can't you? Well, except one of you; and in my defense, I didn't realise I'd made that joke that many times in the chapter. But, seriously, this isn't even an Azurrin-focused fic (and I'm talking about both mine AND** **robotortoise's** **works)! Also, where are the other shippers? It's like the Azurrin guys have kidnapped all rivals and locked them in closets. Not that I wouldn't do the same. I mean what? Anyway, let's get on with the chapter! Another big shout out to** **robotortoise** **for letting me do this in the first place; by the way, go check out his work, he's really cool and waaaay better at keeping a regular update schedule and actually updating than me.**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise Elise would be a far better maid. (Seriously, I love her, but FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LIFT SOME WEIGHTS GIRL)**

 **The Mechanist's Secret Power belongs to** **robotortoise** **.**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

 _Chapter 9_

"Mini-golf and darts," Corrin remarked. " _THAT_ is how these guys seduce people?"

Flora tilted her head. "I know what darts are, but mini-golf?"

"…..I'm taking you out to the Outrealms sometime. I have a feeling you'd love it there."

Azura snorted. "As much as I'd _love_ to see it, I don't think I'd be too happy with giving you permission to have….. _relations_ with your alternate self. If for no other reason than to see you squirm."

"Thanks, Azura. Nice to know to what length you'd go just to mess with me," the prince sighed, closing his eyes. "I am _never_ going to live down getting you to read this fic, am I?"  
"Not if we lived a thousand years," the songstress cheerfully replied. "Seriously, are all the good fanfics about us…well, about _us_?"

Flora nodded. "It would seem so. Maybe it's because all the good writers happen to want to pair you together."  
Corrin's expression seemed rather exasperated. "I see. One of these days….."

The songstress blinked. "…Dragon Fang, hm? Well, I could see how Niles would be interested in those particular uses."  
"And I've got a hair fetish. Wonderful!" The prince drily commented. "And a fetish for long blue hair, too."

Azura giggled mischievously. "Well, my hair is well-kept and your best friends are all blue-haired…."  
Corrin rolled his eyes in response. "Prove it."  
The songstress merely pointed at herself, Flora and a picture of Silas on Corrin's desk. "And I don't even need to mention Lilith. I rest my case, Corrin."

Flora closed her eyes, sighing. "I…..don't think that's how lesbian relationships work, Corrin."

"Oh boy," the prince uttered, having read ahead. "Ryoma and Xander. Trying to kill each other. This ought to be fun."  
"Just like old times," the songstress added.

 _Chapter 10_

"Of course," Corrin snorted. "Takumi would want to be the best at that."

Azura nodded. "The gods help us if we were to lock him and Selena in the same room. They'd probably compete for who can hold their breath the longest."

"…..shouldn't they be doing something to stop Lord Xander and Lord Ryoma from killing each other?" Flora suggested. "They're not here to bet on them fighting, are they?"  
"I'd totally place a bet," the prince commented cheerily. "Ten on Xander."

"What? Corrin!" The maid snapped, frowning.

"I'm kidding!"

Flora huffed, sighing. "You had better be. That's hardly a way to treat your older brothers."  
"In my defense, Ryoma and Xander _did_ try to kill me a few times," the prince pointed out. "They're not exactly innocent of unbrotherly conduct."

Azura smirked. "Oooh, Subaki. That's a low blow, to be sure."

Corrin stared at the screen. "….you know, I don't think I'd be confident enough to brag I slept with someone's little sister to their big brother's face. That's….just asking to be killed."

"You're not mad about that?" Flora inquired. "Sakura's _your_ little sister too."

"Well, it's just a story and anyway, it's not my business who Sakura falls in love with," the prince shrugged. "As long as she's okay."  
He didn't need to finish the unsaid alternative. Azura and Flora were already familiar with what Corrin did to people foolish enough to hurt his family and friends; as many unfortunate Vallites and Anankos himself found out.

…..

"All that build-up and a disappointing climax," the songstress remarked about the liaison between the two Corrins. The prince groaned.

"You did that on purpose."

Azura merely smirked in reply. "I don't know what you're talking about, dear."

"Anyway…" Corrin sighed. "Getting past that….Ryoma and Xander, together? …..I'd totally ship it."  
"I thought you shipped Lord Ryoma and Scarlet," Flora pointed out. Corrin nodded.

"True, true. I've always wondered why Scarlet hasn't just moved to Hoshido yet, considering she keeps asking me to let her stay over so she can go visit him more often," the prince admitted. "And…of course, Anna's selling tickets. Well, they do say to make the best of things…."

The songstress chuckled. "Oh, look. Now _everyone_ gets to see you naked."

Corrin groaned once more. "Oh boy. And…we had our tea laced with aphrodisiacs. Somehow, I don't think I'd fall for that one."  
"Not after the ball," Flora added, frowning. Azura shook her head, suddenly comforting.

"Maybe you'll get a chance to ask Jakob out another time. Don't worry about it."

 _Chapter 11_

Corrin chuckled. "Aww, Selena, that's sweet. And also something you'd probably kill me for if I ever mentioned it to you."

"I always wondered why people like her were so popular, switching moods at the tip of a hat," Azura mused. "Perhaps people are more masochistic than they think."

Flora looked over at Corrin, eyeing his armor. "…..you know, I never did ask this back when we were in the Northern Fortress…..but who gave you that armor? It doesn't seem Nohrian or Hoshidan in design. I've been meaning to ask for a while."  
"I…..actually don't remember," the prince admitted, frowning as he looked down at his armor. "Hm. Maybe Xander commissioned it as a gift. I doubt Garon would, being, well, _Garon_ , and I don't think the Hoshidans could've smuggled the thing out to me. I'd have to ask."

Flora nodded slowly. "I see. And…please tell me you aren't so blatant about your-"  
"Gods, no," the prince hastily replied. "Anything to keep me different from….well, me."

Azura burst out in laughter, almost falling out of her chair. "Oh, it's not just a hair fetish. _I'm_ your fetish! That's rich! Couldn't come up with something better if I tried!"  
Corrin's eyes widened as he read the screen again. "You have _got_ to be kidding me. Really? That's…..a dog? A _dog_?" He sighed. "…so I'm so madly in love with you I'd resort to anything to be with you. Really helping my case, aren't I?"

"Nothing different from real life, then," the songstress remarked cheerily.  
The maid snorted and stifled a giggle, causing Corrin to stare at her. "Flora!"  
"What? It's actually a little funny," Flora confessed. "I'm sorry if I offended you….."

"…yeah," the prince started chuckling, even despite himself. "It's actually pretty funny. Don't worry about it."

The maid seemed relieved, smiling. "Alright."

 _Chapter 12_

"Well, they saw all the corpses of me Saizo left," Corrin mused. "I'd expect Jakob to go on a rampage if he ever saw that many dead versions of me."

Flora closed her eyes. "I would hope that our Laslow has…..a few more scruples than flirting with Lilith in that form."

Azura cringed, shuddering. "Oooh…..I felt that kick."

"Anna's really milking this for all it's worth," the prince commented. "….also, Niles would have a field day with all that. Orochi too, probably."

The maid frowned slightly. "If you're a ghost, why do you need a fireplace? You wouldn't really benefit from the warmth."  
"Fireplaces look nice," Corrin admitted. "I'd totally have one installed if I was a ghost."

The songstress scratched her head. "…..why am I in the body of a Faceless?"  
"Apparently all the Corrins in this universe have weird fetishes," the prince grumbled, irritated. "And just how perverted are we in this world?"

Flora glared at the screen. "Felicia is off-limits. If they tried, they'd have to go through me."  
"I'd suspect they'd just possess you too," Azura pointed out. "They'd probably enjoy making you and your sister do something indecent."

"…so we all died because I went insane and got everyone killed with the Valla curse," Corrin remarked, silently thankful he'd gotten Izana, Nyx and Hayato to work on breaking the curse immediately after the war. "…..I'd be surprised, but at this point, it'd be par for the course. And…..of course they decide to do _that_ with Felicia. Both Felicias."

Flora averted her eyes, shuddering; as much as she loved her sister, imagining two of her naked and wrapped around each other wasn't exactly something she'd count as loving. "This isn't suitable for me to see."

Azura shrugged. "I don't know about you two, but I'm enjoying this."

"Of course you would," the prince replied drily.

"Live a little, Corrin dear," the songstress retorted. "Besides, I'm not the one who brought in this wonderful story for everyone to view, hm?"

* * *

 _Chapter 13_

"…I've come up with the most convoluted plans in the two kingdoms. And I still don't understand how getting two of me together would somehow convince me of this Rhajat woman's love for me," Corrin scratched his head. "That's just…..that's something _Odin_ would come up with."

Azura shook her head. "I think Odin would be insulted by that. And…..I think this Rhajat girl needs to get some help."  
"Hayato would die if I told him his daughter was completely insane," Corrin snorted, writing it down for future reference. "…actually, in hindsight, putting Xander in a class where he can't actually _use_ his sword might've not been the best idea…."

"…oh gods," Azura giggled. "Laslow's a dead man. He shouldn't have said anything about Camilla."  
"Again," the prince reiterated. "Never ever brag about sleeping with someone's little sister. That'll just get you killed."

Flora sighed. "Well, you're finally out of that world and…..oh, great, so now the possessed Felicias are coming back with you."

The prince shuddered. "So now there's two of me and Azura, and the other pair are a bunch of evil ghosts who are also _immense_ perverts and like possessing people to fulfil their weird kinks."  
"Sounds about right," Azura nodded in agreement. "…and this ought to be interesting. I wonder what happened to the actual Felicias?"

"They're probably still in the Ghostrealm or whatever they called it," the maid suggested. "Although I'm still wondering how they're getting back to their bodies…."

"Probably involving a lot of perversion before it," Corrin muttered, exasperated. "I think I've seen enough of myself being a moron and a pervert for one day."  
Azura grinned. "I haven't. I think that side of you needs to be shown more. You're always so naïve and cute in these stories, it's fun to see you being stupid."  
"You're just saying that because you love holding it over me."

"I need to step up my act if I'm that obvious by now," the songstress replied cheerfully.

 _Chapter 14_

"Laslow, of all people, passing up talking about that?" Azura seemed amused. "I'm impressed. Or confused. Probably both."

"Annas are a species, huh?" Corrin lifted an eyebrow. "That would explain why there was an Anna working as a barista in that coffee shop I worked at…."

Flora blinked. "….birth control? Condom? What are those?"

"…..I'll explain later," Corrin reassured her, before looking aside. "This is a fanfic, not a sex-ed class."

The songstress chuckled. "Oooh, you left Arthur and Niles in charge. This ought to be interesting."  
"I let Niles help me write lessons?" Corrin groaned. "Like….he's an excellent schemer but _gods_ if I'll let him anywhere near a classroom."

Flora sighed for the umpteenth time. "…..I'm not entirely sure it'd be a good plan to use Niles of all people as an anatomical model. He would enjoy it far too much."

"…ugh," Azura shuddered. "Clammy armpits. Did you really have to mention those? But, I am flattered you think about me naked-"  
"I've _seen_ you naked," Corrin retorted snappily. "I don't particularly want to do so again."

"Aw," the songstress frowned. "You're no fun today."

Flora stared at him, wide-eyed. "Y-you've seen her naked?! Lord Corrin, t-that's-"

"…she accidentally walked into my room on the way back from taking her bath. A wind blew through my room and dropped her towel," Corrin explained matter-of-factly, without a trace of embarrassment. "It was…not a good day."

Azura nodded in agreement. "Corrin, being the gentleman he is, helped me back to my room and hid me in his cape."  
"…..that would explain why the corridor was dripping wet that day," the maid tapped her chin, mulling over the explanation. "….are you sure that was it? Nothing else happened?"

"You live on the floor beneath us. If anything else happened, you'd be the first to hear," the prince reminded her. "Anyway…..I have a feeling that if this Lucina person saw this fic, she'd have an apoplectic fit."

"Of course Peri wants to feed the undead abomination," Azura remarked, sighing. "And of _course_ they're using it for…..that. Do they even have those parts?"

"I don't exactly know nor want to find out," Corrin remarked sardonically.

 _Chapter 15_

"Ooh, even the zombie doesn't like being kicked in the nuts," Corrin shuddered. "I felt that and I'm wearing armor."

Flora shuddered. "I….really don't want to hear my sister talking about this, even if it's a pair of perverts-"  
"Who happen to be us," Azura added.

"-who happen to be you possessing….them?" The maid sighed, shaking her head. "This is beginning to get a little confusing. At least he bothered telling them apart."  
"…..well, that makes sense," Corrin shrugged. "After decades of passing through walls, a doorknob would seem a little foreign."  
The songstress snorted. "You were bribed with free food and an aphrodisiac spell. Can you get any more basic?"

"…..you shouldn't have asked that," the prince warned her. "Then we might actually _find out_."

Flora blinked, before narrowing her eyes. "…you know, I should be shocked, but I'm not at all surprised Niles was bribed with that kind of offer."

Corrin cringed, as if struck. "Ooh. That's harsh. I think he'd love that."

"Niles would just love this whole story," Azura pointed out. "…..then he'd likely use it to blackmail everyone in it to silence. And possibly seek out Kaze to make them teach him how to Replicate."

The prince shuddered at the thought. "Gods help us if Niles ever got his hands on that power. That'd be even worse than Elise getting it. At least she'd only blow up our kitchen for the umpteenth time."

"I don't know if I should be flattered that my ghostly counterparts are ogling me or if I should be disgusted and offended," the songstress uttered. "On one hand, I rather like the compliments, but….does that qualify as narcissism?"

"Not like you're innocent of it without the clones," Corrin commented.

"As they say, flaunt it if you've got it, Corrin~" Azura replied with a smirk.

 _Chapter 16_

Corrin shuddered once more. "…why. Why do _I_ get all the weird and perverted things? Can't it be Xander? It'd be funnier if it was. Or Leo. Niles would have a field day with that."

"I'm the one who keeps suggesting that you and I invite a third person into our dalliances," Azura pointed out.

"You're also not the one who ended up sleeping with their alternate self and apparently has a fetish for, well, _you_."

"Leo and Takumi, hm?" the songstress mused, grinning. "My. I'd totally ship it."

"I think they'd kill each other first," Corrin replied. "…..and….I really am obsessed with you if I can't go two minutes without talking about you. And…..really, me? Really?"

Flora chuckled. "I have a feeling Camilla would like this story. Very much."

"…yes," the prince grumbled as he read about his other self nuzzling Camilla's chest. "…..yes she would. And how did _Elise_ become the sane man?"  
"Oh. I'm…..finally in this story," the maid uttered. "…that's a little disappointing. I only get one line. I wonder why nobody writes about me?"

Corrin shrugged. "Well, they're missing out if they leave you out of the story, let me say that."

Flora chuckled, covering her mouth and shaking her head. "You're just saying that."  
"They're missing a perfect opportunity! I'm not kidding, you know."

"Yes," Azura nodded to herself. "…Leo would definitely have a fit if he read this. And I'm not sure Nyx would like being compared to a child for the umpteenth time."  
"I'm surprised Scarlet's still alive after she did that back in Krakenburg," Corrin answered, casting his mind back to that escape. "…..why do I feel like I just said something hilariously bad?"  
Azura shrugged. "Nyx might have heard you. Anyway…oh, so that's what happened. You managed to split yourself into-"  
"One half of me is the sex-crazed animal, the other half is the chaste, innocent milquetoast," Corrin finished for her. "…I don't think I particularly like either half."

"I don't know, the chaste half seems rather gentlemanly….." the songstress mused wistfully.

"Maybe we should split you in two."

"If you did, you couldn't handle me, dear."

 _Chapter 17_

Flora stared at the screen. "I have…..honestly no idea if I should laugh at my sister making a fool of herself, or be absolutely horrified that she's possessed."

"Finally!" Corrin cried, relieved. "I can actually snap myself out of my Azura obsession! A complete miracle…..aaaaand he's gone again. Great. Well, nice to know he's okay with torturing _his own son_."

"…aaaand now they're going to figure out what actually happened to Felicia," the songstress remarked. "…..and gods, if we had to use those Einherjar…."  
"That'd probably be even worse than Niles getting Replicate," Corrin interjected. "For one, there'd be _two_ of him using it."  
"Yes, yes there would-" Corrin started, before reading down. "…..no, I've changed my mind, Niles getting his hands on one is less bad than _Camilla_ getting hers on some of mine."

Flora shuddered. "…..I don't think you're supposed to use Einherjar like that…..especially like _that_ …."

"…..and I _also_ managed to piss off Nyx! And I somehow lived," the prince cried. "Let's see how much more my other self can screw up…."

Azura looked aside. "Well…..wine does tend to loosen the lips. Especially if you've got enough of it. Camilla would know."

"Ah! I'm here again," Flora smiled a little as she read about herself. "And I'm relatively sane as well!"  
Corrin crossed his arms, huffing. "No fair! Why do you get to be the sane one?"  
"Because she is the sane one?" Azura pointed out helpfully.

"…..you have a point."

"….mmh," the maid frowned as she disappeared from the story again. "…..if I may be so demanding, may I ask for a story with me in it next time, Corrin? I'm…..actually curious about how our apparent admirers write about me."

"Yeah, of course," the prince nodded. "I'll try to find one. Or, well, get sent one. People seem to love sending me stuff to read. It's like they know I'm the actual Corrin."

"Body-swapping. In this story." Azura rubbed her temples. "Oh gods help us all."

"…..great! So now their Azura is in my body and completely rampant," Corrin summed up. "…..ooooh boy. This can't possibly end well. At least it's done updating for now."

Azura nodded in approval. "…..that was a fun way to waste an afternoon."

"For you."

"Well….yes."

Flora nodded, closing her eyes. "I was….rather displeased by a few of the jokes, but it was pretty funny."  
"…..fair enough," the prince conceded. "Well, I'm going to go write a review for this story, then, because why not?"

* * *

 **From: CorrinLover420**

Can I have more scenes without me being a complete moron? It's depressing to read about me being a complete moron. Good story, though, on the whole. Keep it up!

-Corrin

PS: Can you make Azura suffer some more? She enjoyed this story _way_ too much.

* * *

"….thanks," Azura uttered sardonically. "Nice to know my best friend would sell me out like that."  
"All's fair in love and war," Corrin retorted. "Now-"

Suddenly, a squeal broke out from the end of the corridor. Judging by the squeal, it was most likely Felicia. Judging by the sound of trickling water that followed, it was probably the baths that broke. Kaze was probably helping her clean it up, from the sounds of his hasty yelling.

Flora's eyes narrowed. "…..and that signals an end to our afternoon."

"Yes," Corrin sighed, already knowing he'd need to pay for a replacement bathtub. "Yes it does."

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **Chapter count: 17/17**

 **A/N: So, that's it! We finished the whole story (even including the update that happened between chapters) and that's it! Well then. Another huge shoutout to** **robotortoise** **for letting me do his story; if you're reading this, please know, you are one of the coolest writers I've met on this, really appreciate you being cool with my terrible spotlight-cum-review-cum-roasting and for the rest of you, please go read his work and send the guy some love!**

 **Anyway, next chapter, Corrin Reacts to Archnemeses (yes, that's archnemesis, nemeses is the plural and needs to be to make the chapter title work) and I hope you guys enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, reviews, thoughts and suggestions! Until next time!**


	17. Flora Reacts to Daily Life!

**Flora Reacts to Daily Life!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Now, you may be wondering 'where's the archenemy chapter'. I had another look at my plan for this story (yes, this exists somewhere in the ether) and I also had a look at the stuff I'd written thus far (I've actually finished most of the chapter). I realised that I'd be unable to tell the story I wanted to in one chapter without rushing it too much to fit it into my plan, which I felt would be detrimental to trying to set up Corrin's archrival in a sufficiently screwy (for Corrin) way. So, instead, have a chapter written from Flora's perspective; anyway, since she's a main character and all, it makes sense she'll get at least one chapter from her perspective. Anyway, I need some practice writing Flora, so it's a good thing. Hopefully. Let's quit rambling!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise there would be a bare-fisted fighter class. (ATATATATATATA OMAE WA MOU SHINDEIRU)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

 _Early Morning_

"So, how did you sleep?" Flora inquired, smiling lightly at her sister across the table. The three of them -her, Felicia and a sleepy Elise- were partaking of an early breakfast. The three women were alone; Corrin had left earlier in the day to take care of business, Azura was still asleep, Lilith still preferred her own company in the shrine she used to occupy and Jakob was never one to eat with everyone.

"I…uh, slept well!" Felicia replied cheerily over the bowl of oatmeal she and the other two were eating. "You?"

"Well enough," Flora calmly nodded, looking over to Elise. "And yourself, Lady Elise?"

"Teehee!" Elise looked up from her bowl, a line of oats lining the top of her upper lip. "I have a moustache!"

Felicia giggled. "You really do, don't you?"

"Let's give you one too!" Before Felicia could protest, Elise whipped out her spoon and painted a moustache of oatmeal on the maid's lip. The princess tilted her head, smiling. "Now we can be moustache buddies!"

"Waaah!" The pink-haired maid cried. "Nooooo!"

Flora sighed, shaking her head with a smile. "You two are being silly."

"Come on, you can have a moustache too!" Elise offered cheerily, waving her spoon around. Flora calmly raised her hand, shaking her head.

"You know…..this reminds me of when we were children too," the blue-haired maid mused, sighing nostalgically. "All those years ago…..in the Ice Village…."

"Oh, yeah," Felicia smiled, chuckling at the memory of it all. "….I barely remember it, but…..they were good times….s-sorry."

"I wonder how Father is," Flora briefly mused to change the subject, a hint of not-unjustified bitterness behind her idle words.

Kilma, the chieftain of the Ice Tribe and their father, had trained them from a young age to fight. Felicia had always been the apple of his eye; after all, she had taken to weapons far better than Flora ever did, even if Flora was more diligent at keeping up with her training than Felicia ended up being. So it was then that he lavished praise upon his younger daughter, leaving nothing for his eldest. Flora had always found that he had nothing but disappointment for her; even when she did her best to save her people, such as by siding with Corrin over Nohr during the war.

She still remembered the scolding she received for such a risky plan. Kilma didn't appreciate it, even knowing of the legends of the Yato and the power and loyalty Corrin had already inspired among his troops. Flora bore his wrath regardless; after all, she trusted him enough.

He still expected Flora to come back eventually and take over the reins of the Ice Tribe, however. Of course, whether or not she wanted to didn't matter; Flora was the eldest daughter and thus the next in line for the leadership of the Ice Tribe. Eventually, Kilma would grow old and Flora would need to divest herself of her post as Corrin's servant, leaving behind all of her friends to rule over the Ice Tribe as chieftainess, just as her mother and her great-grandmother had done before her.

Of course, these were concerns for another time.

"...Father wants to visit sometime," Felicia uttered quietly, as if trying to lessen the blow to her older sister. Flora looked at her briefly.

"….when?"  
"He doesn't know," her sister explained. "Whenever he can find time to, u-um, leave the tribe, now that they're building a new village a-after Garon….b-burned down the other one…."

The blue-haired maid sighed, nodding. "….alright. We should tell Corrin. We wouldn't want to surprise him with a visit from Father, after all."

Felicia frowned, already knowing what her sister was thinking. "…..you know, if you want, I could talk to him-"  
"No, Felicia," the blue-haired maid shook her head. "It's okay. I'll try again."

Elise, already sensing there was impending conflict, tilted her head and frowned, inserting herself into the conversation. "…..Felicia? Flora? Is there something wrong?"

"No," both sisters responded in unison. Neither of them wanted Elise to worry about them; if nothing else, someone as innocent as her had nicer things to worry about. Elise lifted an eyebrow as if suspecting something, her lilac eyes scanning the sisters' faces for a moment. However, shortly, the darkness faded, and Elise was her normal self again, smiling happily.

"Okay!" The princess uttered happily. "Ooh, ooh! Let's play a game! Hide and seek! I'll go first!"  
"Sorry, Lady Elise," Flora replied as she stood up, dusting herself off and placing her utensils in her emptied mug of porridge. "I have to go clean around the palace first."  
"Awww….." Elise whimpered, her face already beginning to resemble a wounded puppy. "Can't it wait? We never make a…..mess….."  
She looked away guiltily, chuckling. The princess already remembered; she was guilty of almost fifty percent of the messes caused in Fort Corrin.

The other fifty percent, though neither Flora nor Elise ever knew it, were usually caused by Corrin's schemes going wrong. Or Silas attempting to cook something that didn't explode in his face, whenever he came over.

"…pleaaaaaaase?" Elise pleaded, her eyes dewy with tears and her lower lip pouting.

Flora closed her eyes, sighing with a small smile on her face. "Okay, okay. You've convinced me. I'll play one game with you after I'm done cleaning. Is that a deal?"  
"Yaaaaay!" Elise chirped happily as she wrapped her arms around Flora's waist. Despite being an adult now, she had scarcely grown in height, and her head was barely up to Flora's chin. "You're the best! I'm holding you to that!"

With that, the princess ran off to do whatever she did, her blonde ponytails bobbing in the air behind her like streamers.

Felicia giggled. "She's really something, isn't she? It's hard to believe she's all grown-up now, when she acts like that."  
"Yes," Flora nodded in agreement. "Not so long ago that she was a child. I wonder how Corrin keeps up with her?"

"How do _we_ keep up with her?" Felicia mused, shuddering at the memory of the many kitchen messes she'd had to clean up in the aftermath of Elise's ill-fated experiments in the field of cooking.

"Shall we be off?" The blue-haired maid suggested. "We should start soon. Elise will likely pout enough to thaw a glacier if we don't, hm?"

* * *

 _Late Morning_

"And that's the last vase that needs dusting!" Flora declared triumphantly, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. She looked around the room, an assortment of Hoshidan vases painted with what appeared to be skulls and various ominous patterns; these were a set of vases gifted to Corrin by Kagero (on Odin's suggestion) that Corrin felt as if he couldn't reject.

"….a set of sixteen vases…." Flora uttered as she looked towards the opposite wall, leaning against the wall behind her and dusting her skirt off. "How did Lady Kagero find the time to make so many?"

"She roped Odin into helping her do it in exchange for giving him some of her more….'out-there' paintings."

Flora almost jumped as Corrin appeared next to her, smiling. "Morning, Flora."

"O-oh….Corrin, hello," the blue-haired maid looked down, a cold wind passing through the room before subsiding. She was learning to better control her powers when she was emotionally compromised, but it still showed up from now and then. "I didn't hear you come in."

"I was just passing through," Corrin explained, adjusting his cape around his shoulders and rolling down his collar. "I'm off for the rest of the day. Sorry I haven't had time to clean through here. I've been busy lately."

Flora frowned slightly at that. "You know, it's my job to clean the place for you. You don't have to do this all the time. Then I would be out of a job."  
"Well, I mean," the prince softly chuckled. "I don't want you to have another scare again like you did a few weeks ago."  
"If I recall correctly," Flora raised an eyebrow, pointing a finger at Corrin. "You were the one who ended up sick as a result."

"You know, I still haven't thanked you for that," Corrin reminded her and himself, sighing. "I appreciate that, you know. Thanks. You didn't need to. And I shouldn't really be trying to prop you up so much, I know."

The blue-haired maid waved him off, shaking her head. "You needn't apologise. You can be a bit overbearing with the encouragement, but….." She smiled softly at the prince. "I appreciate it. You're a good friend you've watched out for me…. since that day in the ravine. Lady Azura would be lucky to have you."

It took Corrin a moment to respond to that, as if he didn't know what Flora was talking about, or perhaps was reminiscing about that day- an important day in both of their lives, though they had yet to realise it. Realisation washed over his face in a split second and he nodded. "Ah. Yes. Thanks. So….speaking of lovers…..have you had any luck with asking Jakob out?"  
Flora exhaled deeply. "…..I've had better luck elsewhere." She looked away, knowing who was responsible for that.

Corrin shook his head, sighing disapprovingly. "Flora, you don't have much longer to ask him out, you know. I hear Jakob's quite the catch- and that's saying something considering he has Niles, Kaze and Xander as competition. Maybe someone else will snatch him up before you do, hm? After all, you're not the only cute woman who wants him."

Flora's eyes widened as she blushed at his compliment. "A-ah! Corrin! D-don't say such things!"

"Well, you're cute when you blush like that," the prince shrugged casually, grinning. "Sorry, I can't help myself. I think I picked up a little Niles, I'll be honest."

The maid simply shook her head. "Corrin, honestly, I think you've picked up more than a little Niles. Shouldn't you be off, by the way?"  
"Oh, right! Yeah, Oboro's going to have a fit if I don't show up soon." Corrin sighed, shaking his head and pressing his palm against his forehead, exasperated with himself. "Sorry to keep you, Flora. I'll see you later, alright? You'd better ask out Jakob before then, alright? I'm holding you to that."

"…..I'll keep that in mind," Flora nodded. "Have a good day, Corrin."

Corrin waved as he walked away, leaving his palace. When he was out of earshot, Flora closed her eyes, exhaling before she put down the duster she'd been using to clean the pottery.

' _He's right. I have to ask him out. It's now or never,_ ' Flora reassured herself. _'…..I can't hold myself back. Besides, if I don't try, then I'll never know if Jakob likes me, right? …..no, he wouldn't. Why would he? I'm-no, quit it, Flora!'_ She steeled her determination, breathing in deeply. ' _Okay. As soon as I finish playing with Lady Elise like I promised…..I am going to ask him to the Festival.'_

* * *

 _Early Afternoon_

"Okaaaaaaaay! Ready or not," Elise's chirping voice could be heard around the corner as Flora hid behind a pair of drapes, Felicia on the opposite side of the corridor from here hidden behind a plant. "Heeeeere I come!"

The princess galloped down the corridor, looking around as she slunk past the drapes and the plants. "Where aaaaaare you?"

Felicia suppressed a giggle, crouching behind a pair of green branches. Elise's head whipped around to where she'd heard the giggle, her long ponytails trailing lavender perfume behind her.

"I seeeee youuuuu!" Elise jokingly uttered, her purple eyes flitting between potential spots where Felicia could be hiding. Her eyes skimmed over the spot where the maid was hiding, with Felicia's hair barely out-of-sight underneath a large leaf.

"Hm….." Elise tapped her chin thoughtfully, bobbing her head between the leaves. Seemingly coming up empty-handed, she shrugged and skipped away, bouncing down the corridor.

When Elise was out of earshot, Felicia broke into a fit of giggles. "I-I nearly got caught! D-did you see that?"

"Yes," Flora replied with a smile, chuckling to herself. "Yes I did. I don't think you chose a great place to hide, sis."

"Yeah…..I-I thought hiding here would be a good idea," Felicia looked down guiltily. "It always worked for Niles!"

"If I'm to be honest, most things you learn from Niles aren't fit for children or a children's game," the blue-haired maid answered. Felicia nodded, chuckling a little.

"I guess you're right," she acquiesced to her sister, moving a stray leaf that was tickling her nose before gaining a suddenly uncharacteristically mischievous look about her. "Soooo…."  
"Hm? What's that look for?" Flora looked confused. "Felicia, are you okay?"

"I heard that a little chicken told you something…..secret."  
"A….little chicken?" The blue-haired maid looked confused for a moment. "…..don't you mean a 'little birdy told you something?"

Felicia's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. She looked away. "…..y-yeah, that. So…..anyway, uh, I heard that you….like Jakob? Like, 'like-like' him? And you want to ask him out to the Festival?"

It was Flora's turn to flush red, staring at her sister with wide eyes. "H-how did you know that?! I didn't tell you!"  
"Like I said, a little birdy told me-"

Then, it hit Flora. Her eyes narrowed at her sister.

"You overheard Corrin and I talking about it earlier, didn't you," Flora accused her sister.

Felicia's eyes widened. ' _Uh-oh. I-I can't tell her I'm in on Corrin's plan to get her with Jakob! I….uh….um….think, Felicia, think! Ah! That's it! I know!'_  
"I overheard you and Corrin talking about it earlier," Felicia repeated guiltily, before shaking her head.

' _Good job, Felicia! You saved yourself an awkward conversation!'_

Flora sighed. "I knew I should've checked outside before Corrin and I spoke."

"B-but that's great!" Felicia hurriedly changed the subject. "You have a crush on Jakob?! Since when?! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I….since it was just us three and Gunter in the Northern Fortress," the blue-haired maid confessed, looking away slightly. "….a-and I never really told you because, you….no offense, but you tend to spill a lot of secrets."

"N-No I don't!" Felicia replied in protest. "I'm good with keeping secrets!"

"What about that one time we were preparing a secret birthday party for Corrin and you told him almost a day in advance?"

"T-that's different! He baited me into telling him!" The pink-haired maid frowned, before quickly forgetting her protestations. "B-but you like Jakob! So, who else knows? What are you doing?"  
"Um….well…." Flora thought carefully. "…Corrin promised that he'd try and help me get his attention, since Jakob's not the most approachable person, even if he's nice enough…"

Felicia shuddered, remembering the many times Jakob had harshly rebuked her for making slight mistakes- though in fairness, Felicia's 'slight' mistakes were others' utter catastrophes. "Y-yeah. I….huh. You know, personally, I always thought you'd go for Corrin….b-but Jakob's good too. He's so hardworking and loyal. Handsome too, n-not that he's my type, really. Or K-Kaze!"  
"Corrin? Why Corrin?" Flora blinked in surprise. She honestly hadn't thought about that at all, despite how much Corrin teased her and jokingly flirted with her.

Felicia blinked. "….i-isn't it obvious? I mean, he's always looking out for you, and you're always fretting over him, and- you read all those romance novels, right?"

"With the master falling for his servant?" Flora lifted an eyebrow, remembering the novels she loved reading. "…..yes, but that's different. Corrin and I are not like those novels; a relationship between a prince and his maid wouldn't work out in real life. And besides, Corrin is in love with Azura. He said so himself."

Felicia tilted her head. "He did? When?"

"He….he asked me for advice about asking her out," Flora explained, as Felicia realised what she was talking about.

' _So that's what Corrin meant when he had the perfect excuse to get close to you. That's pretty smart, now that I think about it,'_ Felicia thought to herself. _'For a moment there, I thought she was telling the truth….'_

"Ah, yeah, yeah," the pink-haired maid chuckled nervously. "Y-you'd think Corrin would be able to confess himself, considering he flirts with her so much…..b-but I think he's one of those types who'll never flirt with people they actually like."

Flora looked strangely at her sister for a moment, before nodding. "I suppose. Please….don't tell anyone I'm interested in Jakob, alright? Only Corrin, you and Azura know about it."

"Y-you got it!" Felicia uttered quickly, looking aside quickly.

' _Well….aside from Mozu, Kaze and Silas…'_ Felicia refrained from adding. _'It's only us three who know….'_

Flora seemed relieved by that. "Good. I won't be too bothered if you tell, say, our friends, but….try not to, okay?"

"I will," her sister nodded quickly. "And good luck with asking Jakob out!"

"Don't tell them about what?" Elise interjected as she hung upside down from the ceiling, her ponytails brushing over both sisters' heads. She smiled cheerily at the pair.

Flora stared at her. "L-Lady Elise! When did you get up there?"  
"Niles taught me how to climb on ceilings!" Elise cheerily remarked. "Oh, and by the way, _found youuuuu_ ~!" She patted the sisters on the head, giggling happily.

"Most things Niles teaches aren't fit for a children's game indeed," Flora mused, uncharacteristically whimsically.

* * *

 _Late Afternoon…._

"Splendid," Jakob rubbed his hands together, looking over the food they'd prepared for dinner that night. "Absolutely splendid. Lord Corrin will be pleased with us both."

Flora nodded. "We did a good job, didn't we?"

"I dare say, you did most of it on your own," Jakob replied approvingly. "A good job as usual, Flora."

"I don't think you needed to be quiet as harsh on my sister as you were, though," the blue-haired maid replied, looking over at her shellshocked-seeming sister, who was currently laying out plates for them to place all the food they made on.

It was indeed a veritable feast; between Flora and Jakob, they made a feast worthy for a king, which Corrin technically would be, had he not both preferred not to be a king and had no land to call his own, with an array of meats, vegetables and cakes. Of course, in practice, it wouldn't be Corrin who ate most of it; though he had quite the appetite, he wasn't the biggest eater. Surprisingly, Elise was the one who ate the most, despite her dainty size- this was probably where Elise gained the fuel for the seemingly infinite amount of energy contained within her tiny frame.

Felicia began loading the food onto the plates. As she passed by Flora, she whispered into her ear, "Now's your chance". The blue-haired maid immediately knew what she meant.

' _Alright,'_ Flora looked away, breathing deeply to steel herself. _'Okay, you can do this. You can do this. Besides, you are not in the middle of a war anymore, there is no reason to hesitate….right?'_

"So," she uttered, looking over at her fellow servant. "I was….I am going to…are you…"  
"Hm?" Jakob looked over at her curiously. "Yes, Flora? Were you saying something?"  
"I…." she breathed deeply, trying to recover her composure even as the room had a cold breeze sweep through it. "…..I was going to ask if…..you were aware of the Festival of Stars they plan on holding in Hoshido."

Jakob lifted an eyebrow. "Ah, that festival everyone seems to be going insane about. Yes, I know about it. I've had a fair few admirers request my company during said festival, too."  
"I, er, well…" Flora looked away, trying to avoid his glance. "I…..was wondering if you could at all consider…."

"Consider?"

"If you've considered at all…..if you've thought of going?"

"It might be interesting, yes," the butler nodded in confirmation. "Why do you ask?"

Flora swallowed deeply. _'This is it. This is it. Let's ask him, right now."_

"Well, I had thought that you might-" The maid sighed, closing her eyes. "I thought….would you be at all amenable to having someone come with you?"

Jakob thought carefully. "….perhaps, if it were the right person. I would hate to keep company with someone loathsome, after all."

"Do you have someone in mind?" Flora asked hastily, blinking rapidly as her cheeks began growing redder by the second. "Someone, anyone at all? Anyone we know?"  
"Why do you ask?" The butler looked her dead in the eye, waiting for her to explain.

Flora stared at him for a moment. "I….I was wondering if perhaps you and I could…."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Jakob suddenly snapped his fingers. "I must draw a bath up for Lord Corrin! Forgive me, perhaps we will continue this conversation later, Flora. Excuse me!"  
The butler left Flora alone in the kitchen as he ran outside, leaving her a blushing, stuttering mess and the room echoing with freezing winds.

'… _..worthless. Absolutely worthless at talking!'_ Flora cursed herself mentally, sighing. "Oh well. I guess it's just as well. He'll just find someone better to go with."

"My, my, Flora, you really lack confidence in yourself, don't you?"

She turned around, shaking her head and trying to regain composure as she saw Azura in the kitchen doorway, her hair freshly wet from having taken a bath and a cotton bathrobe wrapped around her with nothing underneath- at least, nothing Flora could see. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her robe and her dainty frame was shivering.

"Ah, Lady Azura," the blue-haired maid said, sighing. "I thought you were someone else for a second. Why are you….almost naked?"  
"Sadly, I can't seem to find any of my dresses, so I'm attempting to look for them. I had a feeling they might be in the laundry room," the songstress explained, shuddering at the cold temperatures. "It's rather cold, by the way. Flora, do you mind if you…"

"Oh….sorry," Flora breathed in deeply, attempting to calm the winds within the kitchen. Azura's shivering subsided slightly, and her arms slackened as she allowed herself to relax.

"Thank you," Azura nodded to her in gratitude. "This isn't exactly the best situation, I'll admit, though this robe feels rather free underneath. Now, I hear you're having a hard time asking out Jakob, hm?"

"Yes," Flora calmly admitted. "I'm sorry, I just….I find it hard to get the words out, and I feel excited every time I get near him, and-"  
"Calm down," Azura softly requested, closing her eyes. "…..I've noticed that it's more your self-confidence that seems to be the problem. You have too little of it. And the reassurances aren't working all that well. Is that right?"

Flora nodded slowly, sighing. "I do appreciate them….and they do work a little, but I do feel like I need something else. Something more firm."

"You see, that's where Corrin sometimes fails," the songstress remarked, chuckling. "He sometimes thinks he can get away with a good word and a well-structured plan with a bit of nudging. Sometimes, though, you have to be more proactive in getting things done. Very well."  
"Huh?"

"To be honest, Corrin told me that he felt like his approach wasn't working, so he asked if I could try mine. Would you like me to teach you how to be more confident in yourself?" Azura offered, smiling. "As a friend to a friend. You know that I sing to an audience, even during battle. Perhaps I could help you with your problems. And, while we're at it, make it a girls' day out."

Flora's eyes lit up. "O-of course, Lady Azura! I-if you could help me, that is! I mean, only if I'm not too much of a problem for you. I wouldn't want to be a burden-"

"A burden? I deal with Corrin every day," the songstress snorted dismissively. "You think you could possibly burden me? Anyway, excellent. We'll begin tomorrow," Azura declared confidently. "…and as soon as you could help me find my clothes. As funny as it would be and as much as I don't particularly care if Corrin sees me naked, I would prefer to have clothes on."

"Oh. Of course!" Flora nodded quickly. "Right away!"

As she exited the kitchen to look for the laundry room, hope began growing in her heart.

' _If Lady Azura can help me,'_ the blue-haired maid concluded. _'Then perhaps I can finally ask Jakob to the Festival at last and maybe….tell him how I really feel about him.'_

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Well, ain't that quaint. Anyway, next chapter, Azura and Flora React to Pep Talks! Yep, just a chapter with the two best girls in the game. And maybe a little Orochi. And some Corrin and Elise.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, thoughts, suggestions and reviews, and I hope you have a great day! Until next time!**


	18. Azura Reacts to Pep Talks!

**Azura Reacts to Pep Talks!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Again, lads, I did say I'd be back, and, after a long and arduous few weeks during which I managed to work myself literally into bed, spent literally twelve hours just working and dealing with general college nonsense, I might be able to get a semblance of my fanfic schedule back. Anyway, now to start making Flora a bit less of a doormat (which, to be fair, she sort of is in regards to Garon and Kilma, but more on that later). And hopefully get used to writing based Azura again!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise we would have cat ears as an accessory in Fates. (All the royal sisters in cat ears. And Xander.)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"This ought to be interesting," Azura mused to herself. She was waiting by the portal into Shirasagi town for Flora. Today was the day Azura had agreed with Flora, in order to hang out and build up her confidence; to give her a dry run in asking Jakob out to the Festival of Stars. The songstress brushed a stray blue hair from her eyes, sighing.

"I wonder," Azura started. "Why does she have so little self-confidence? I'll admit, I've never met someone with that little confidence in themselves, even Sakura. I wonder just what happened to her to-"

"Lady Azura, good morning! I'm sorry I'm late….."

The songstress looked up to see Flora, still clad in her maid outfit, a satchel at her side and a notepad in hand. Azura raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Morning, Flora," she replied, tilting her head. "I see you came prepared."  
"Of course!" the maid reassured her. "I wish to learn self-confidence. I see no reason why I shouldn't do the best I can to learn, especially from you. I need to know how….how you can comfortably walk around naked in a robe without a care in the world, for instance."

Azura sighed, wagging her finger. "My, my. You really are interested in learning how to be more confident in yourself. It seems you'll be a great student. And why are you wearing a maid outfit? Don't you have any other clothes?"  
"I….um…I don't," Flora confessed, looking down. "I haven't told you or Corrin about it, but….I only have maid outfits and a few undergarments. I've not had the time to buy clothes, if I'm honest."

"Oh, no problem then," the songstress shrugged. "Tons of men- and quite a few girls- have a maid fetish anyway."

Flora stared at her, shocked. "Fetish? I'm not entirely sure that's appropriate!"

"Hey, any way of getting Jakob to notice you, hm?" Azura reminded her teasingly. "Besides, you don't know, maybe he likes maids. It might be in your favour to wear that. It's good-looking on you, anyway."

"True…." Flora considered Azura's words, nodding slowly before violently shaking her head, attempting to change the subject. "…by the way, do you have any plans for the Festival yourself? Everyone seems to have one or two…."

"No, not right now," the songstress answered casually. "Why?"

The maid looked away, thinking carefully about what she knew. "…has Corrin spoken to you about it at all? I haven't seen him since he left yesterday morning."

Azura seemed confused by that, before remembering Corrin's plan earlier.

' _Ah, right. That plan. I almost forgot we were still doing that.'_

"Ah…..no," the songstress responded, suppressing a mischievous smirk. "Perhaps Corrin has, as Niles would put it, 'less courage than a puddle under a woman's skirt'. Anyway, shall we be off then?"

"Huh? Wait!" Flora looked confused. "I-I thought we were going to talk about this first!"  
"Talk?" Azura repeated, before shaking her head and chuckling slightly. "I've never felt that doing something like that would be good for trying to learn how to do something new. No, we're giving you _hands-on_ training."

The blue-haired maid blinked, already shuddering at the thought. "…..h-hands-on? What's that supposed to mean?"

Azura simply smiled. Flora felt a chill run down her back- unusual indeed for the young woman, who between her sister and her, was the more attuned to the powers of their tribe.

' _I don't know what she has in mind, but…..I'm already scared,'_ the maid thought to herself, glancing up at Azura's calm, also placid gold eyes. Her peaceful expression gave Flora the impression of a calm lake, shortly before a giant monster leaped out of it and ate the unfortunate person within.

"You'll see," the songstress evasively reassured her.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Shirasagi town…._

Corrin closed his eyes, waiting outside Oboro's house, looking around at the people wandering around, readying everything necessary to host the Festival of Stars tomorrow night; it was especially big this year, as Hoshido had allowed Nohr to attend the Festival for the first time, and Ryoma expected a massive turn out from Nohrians who had never seen the beauty of the festival before.

Sakura looked up at him, tilting her head, a small smile on her face. The young woman was taller now; not by much, granted, but she was certainly tall enough to reach Hinoka's shoulder, and not tall enough to look Corrin in the eye. Her physique, too, had grown more athletic, like her older sister's, from all that time training with a bow as a priestess, but retained some of the small plushness that she once held in her youth. A simple, ornate tiara- gifted to her by Elise as part of a small 'Sister Appreciation Day' celebration the Nohrian princess decided to have for fun a year ago- was sat on Sakura's head, the silver headdress glistening in the light of the early Hoshidan sun.

"It was nice of you to stay the night with us, Corrin," the young princess confessed. "Ryoma's always asking one of us to try to get you to stay over at the castle, you know. He's always keeping your room ready."

"I know," the prince chuckled. "For a king, he's rather smothering of his relatives."

Sakura giggled at that, looking away and brushing a strand of pink hair from her eyes. "I….I'd like you to stay over more, too. Even Takumi does, even if he pretends he doesn't."

"It was nice, yeah," Corrin smiled back at his younger sister. "Just to eat a good dinner with family. And yeah, Takumi's…..always going to be like that, I suppose. Thanks, by the way, for letting me on such short notice."

"Anytime," Sakura reassured him with a confident smile. "I'll see you around, I suppose. I'll see you at the Festival tomorrow. Have a good day, big brother."

With that, Sakura walked away, carrying herself with the air of a queen. Corrin raised an eyebrow, chuckling.

"I bet Kagerou's been giving her lessons in etiquette," the prince mused. "They're paying off, if that's true. She's like a perfect lady."

"H-hey! Sorry about….not being here last night!" Oboro suddenly appeared from behind Corrin, breathing heavily, still managing to look perfectly groomed despite her clear exhaustion. Corrin chalked it up to strange Hoshidan grooming practices. The prince sighed.

"Hey, Oboro. Um, it's alright," Corrin reassured her, sighing as he offered her a hand to help. "But where were you last night? I was waiting outside for an hour!"  
"Orochi called me over suddenly," Oboro explained as she took his hand, pulling herself up. "She kept me over for a while. She's really excited for the Festival tomorrow, apparently, so she broke out all her potions, masks, fortune-telling cards and what not to show me and it took all night. Sorry, again."

Corrin sighed, shaking his head; Orochi really was a handful, even for him, and she was like a child in a woman's body. "Fair enough. Did you at least get what I asked you done?"

"Yeah, of course," the seamstress held up a finger, before opening the door to her house with a key and sliding in for a minute or two, before going out and producing two packages. Corrin smiled, sighing gratefully.

"Thanks, Oboro, I _really_ owe you one," the prince said, taking the packages. Oboro nodded back, smiling.

"I'm really proud of my work with these _yukatas_ , you know?" she confessed, checking inside the packages to make sure the delicate clothing hadn't been ruffled. "It's been hard trying to open that _kimono_ shop I've been trying to for years, even with Lord Takumi's backing. Still, it's nice to have some practice."  
Corrin frowned. "You sure I can't help with that _kimono_ shop? I know a guy or two-"  
"Oh, no, no," the seamstress shook her head. "I'd be asking too much of you. Besides, I want to open this shop on my own. Takumi had to insist on opening it. Anyway, hope you and Lady Elise like the _yukatas_. Now, if you excuse me, I've got to go _really_ quickly. I've got to get stuff for tomorrow, hm? Maybe I might be able to open it at the Festival, what with so many people around…."

Corrin lifted an eyebrow. "Speaking of the Festival…you got anyone in mind?"

At that, Oboro suddenly grew quiet. "….n-none of your business. T-that reminds me, I've g-got to go!"

With that, Oboro disappeared into her house, leaving Corrin groaning and facepalming at himself.

"And sometimes, I'm _still_ no good with talking to people," the prince admitted to himself, shrugging. "I'll have to make it up to her somehow, but not right now. For now, let's finish this list…"

Taking out a piece of paper with a list written down on it, the prince set off alone into Shirasagi city centre, towards the shopping district.

* * *

 _Meanwhile…._

"N-no way!" Flora stared at Azura in shock. "Absolutely not!"

Azura had a plate of Hoshidan _takoyaki_ in her lap, looking quizzically at her, a stick of the squid delicacy in hand. "Huh? Why not? Don't you want to learn how I do it?"  
"I-I can't just ask a person out just like _that_!" Flora cried in protest, almost sputtering the words out. "I-I thought you were going to teach me how to do that!"

Both women were sitting outside in Shirasagi city centre, right next to a _takoyaki_ stall. A gaggle of people were gathered around the square, helping put up banners with intricate Hoshidan floral and stellar designs to coincide with the Festival, with some children wandering around the place, wondering at the spectacle of the place being put together. Some young Hoshidan men were gathered near a post, looking around casually. Azura, for her part, seemed completely in her element, a tranquil expression on her face and enjoying nice food, whereas Flora seemed like a fish out of water, looking around nervously like a deer surrounded by a pack of wolves.

Azura sighed, closing her eyes. "My, my. Some things have to be taught this way, Flora. Don't you remember how you were trained to be a maid?"  
"Well….yes, but," the blue-haired maid looked away, blushing. "T-this is different. I'm not….I can't-"

"Quit that," the songstress bluntly interrupted her. "I'm not Corrin, Flora. I'm just going to tell you this straight. If you keep saying you can't, you can't. Quit that attitude."

Flora looked even guiltier. "Y-yes, Lady Azura."

"Corrin would probably put what I'm going to tell you in far nicer terms," the songstress continued in the same calm voice as she was prior. "But, as I've said, I always think blunt honesty is the best way of teaching. If you don't stand up for yourself and show some backbone, you're going to fail. Do you understand me?"

The blue-haired maid nodded slowly. "…..I….sorry."  
"Don't apologise to me. Just do it," Azura brusquely ordered. "I'm sorry about being harsh, but you've got to try it. Go."

Flora mustered her courage, closing her eyes. "Alright. Thank you, Lady Azura. I'll….keep that in mind."

' _Okay, Flora. You can do this. You can do this,'_ the maid thought to herself. _'This….this is no different from fighting, or presenting food to the right people. You can't fail this, Flora. Come on.'_

The maid took one more look behind her to Azura, who gestured her on with her eyes, before swallowing and walking towards the group of men. Slowly, she approached one with greyish hair.

"So, are you-" Flora started, but the man with greyish hair seemed to have already been looking at her.

"My, my, a sight for sore eyes, after a long day of working too- just like a gift from the heavens. Such beautiful eyes, too, I could get lost in them. Hey, you seem rather fami…liar." Laslow paused, staring at Flora until realising exactly who he had been about to flirt with.

Flora's cheeks were flushed, but the maid attempted to regain her composure. "…..Laslow? W-what are you doing here?"

Azura, for her part, looked almost impressed with Laslow's failed attempt at flirting. "Smooth, Laslow."

"Oh…..I…" the mercenary looked aside, rubbing the back of his head. "I was actually here to help out, I swear!"

The songstress looked even more bemused. " _Really_ now, Laslow? Using the Festival as an excuse to flirt? Even I'm not nearly this shameless."

"He was!" Hana suddenly appeared, attached to his arm, an irritated look on her face. "Because I made him do it!"

Flora stood back, taken by surprise. "Ah!"

"Aaaaand the plot thickens," the songstress remarked. "Alright, Laslow, how did you get dragged into _this_ mess?"

"Yes, I…..lost a bet," Laslow explained sheepishly. "And, well….Hana here dragged me into helping out with the Festival as a result."  
"He thought he could beat me in a fight because he has fancy footwork!" Hana scoffed, folding her arms. "I showed him exactly what would happen."

"And I don't suppose you're going out with him to the Festival?" Flora inquired curiously, causing the young swordmaster to look disgusted.

"Ugh, no way!" Hana scoffed. "He'd flirt with Lady Sakura, and then I'd have to beat him up!"

"I'm not nearly _that_ much of a cad," Laslow replied exasperatedly. "Quite honestly, I only said that knowing how to dance is a good thing in a fight. I didn't expect you to pull a practice sword and expect me to fight you!"

Hana scoffed. "If you challenge my honor, you challenge my ability to protect Lady Sakura! I'm perfectly confident I can do it!"  
Flora closed her eyes, sighing. "Sorry for suspecting you, Laslow. Well, I….had better get going, I suppose. Sorry for trying to flirt with you."  
At that, Hana, if she had had a drink in her mouth, she would've spat it out. "You were _flirting_ with Laslow?!"

"Thanks," the mercenary's eyes narrowed at the implicit statement of his lack of attractiveness. "I appreciate the faith. And I'm always happy to have a beautiful woman flirt with me, dear. Any time."  
"She wasn't flirting with you to ask you out. Don't flatter yourself," Azura teased Laslow. "I was teaching her how to ask someone out."

At that, Laslow's eyes lit up, and he immediately looked far more sympathetic. "Ah. Yes. I can see where you're coming from. Well…..I wish you the best, Flora. I hope you become more confident in yourself, hm?"  
"Where's all that niceness come from all the sudden? Are you trying to flirt with her?" Hana stared at him with a frown. Laslow shook his head serenely.

"No, I'm entirely serious. I know how that feels," the mercenary admitted, before laughing and shaking his head. "What am I saying? Anyway, I'll see you around. I think we're supposed to be getting back to work."

Flora nodded, waving goodbye as Laslow and Hana melted back into the group, who began to walk off towards an alley stocked with festival stalls. Azura sighed, patting Flora on the shoulder.

"Well…..let's try again, hm? Try, try again, as they say."  
"I wonder what Laslow meant by knowing how I felt…." Flora mused to herself. "…..I can't imagine he's ever lacked confidence in himself. Right?"

* * *

 _Half an hour later…._

"Thanks very much. Keep the change," Corrin thanked the shopkeeper as he received a bowl of _udon_ noodles, a pair of chopsticks slipped in his pocket. He looked to his other hand, carrying a bag of various Hoshidan knick-knacks- a pair of hair ribbons, a fan with an intricate bird design and a haiku printed on it, and a pair of _sakuramochi_ rice cakes-that he'd brought home for Elise, in addition to the two robes Oboro had made or repaired for them.

Corrin looked exhausted from running around the city the whole day. "Well, hopefully these noodles are nice. Although I'm looking forward to some Nohrian food when I get back, some Hoshidan stuff's nice."  
He lifted some noodles to his mouth with the chopsticks, before-

"Is that…..Azura? And Flora?"

Indeed, both women were nearby, across the street from him, with Flora seemingly chatting up a black-haired Hoshidan wearing a white robe. Azura was looking on approvingly. Corrin, for his part, sipped the noodles already near his mouth, before covering the bowl with a spare handkerchief.

"Are they doing what they think I'm doing?" the prince wondered aloud as he walked towards them.

…..

"Ah, I see, it was just a confidence-building exercise," the Hoshidan man looked on as Flora explained her true intentions.

"Yes. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, I was not really asking you out to the Festival," the maid calmly explained. The man laughed.

"No trouble, no trouble at all. Good luck! I hope you do find someone to come to the Festival with!" With that, the man left, and Azura seemed satisfied.

"Well, that's the fifth man you managed to ask out without caving. I'm impressed," the songstress admitted. Flora smiled, looking far happier than she had earlier that day.

"Yes, I guess I did," the maid concluded, sighing in relief. "Thank you, by the way. I…wouldn't have done that if you hadn't been so blunt."

"Well, that's what friends are for," Azura replied, before cringing. "And that sounded trite. I'm sorry about that."

"Hey, you two!" Corrin called over, as both women turned towards him. Flora waved at him.

"Ah, Corrin! We haven't seen you since yesterday," the maid greeted him, approaching the prince. "Where have you been?"

"I was staying with Ryoma here," the prince explained. "I just needed to buy some stuff. You guys okay?"

Azura nodded. "Well, Flora here's asked out five people without backing down. I am proud of myself for having overseen it."

"Ah! Good to hear!" Corrin smiled appreciatively. "Well, then. You feel better about your chances with Jakob?"

The blue-haired maid nodded happily. "Yes, yes I do. I'll ask him out tonight! This time, properly! But first…..do you mind if I get some lunch? Then maybe we could all eat together as friends."

"I'd like that," Corrin acquiesced, smiling. "Go ahead. I just need a minute with Azura here."

Flora thought she knew what was going on. "Ah. Okay. I see. Well, good luck, Corrin."

The blue-haired woman left earshot and ventured into the crowds, leaving Corrin and Azura alone. The songstress smirked.

"Well, take a guess whose method worked, then."

"Yeah, yeah," Corrin sighed, producing several Nohrian coins and passing them over to her. "Well, just pushing her into it seemed to do way better."

"Of course it would work," the songstress smugly replied. "I thought of it. You know everything about plotting, and you might know a little about people. But I know about people, Corrin. Leave that to me."

Corrin sighed, closing his eyes. "Well, this is just like the war. I'd be sunk trying this whole thing without you. Again."

"Heh. That, you would," Azura declared triumphantly. "That you would. Well, you got the stuff for Elise?"  
"Yeah, yeah," Corrin nodded. "She'll love it. This is the first time she's ever seen the Festival. It'll be a good night, I know it."

"That it will," Azura nodded in agreement. "That it _will_."

…..

 _That night, in Fort Corrin…._

"Okay," Flora breathed in and out. She waited, looking inside the kitchen to see Jakob working on the stove. "…alright, let's do this. Let's do this."

She burst into the kitchen. "Jakob, I would like to ask you something."

"Oh? Flora?" Jakob looked surprised. "I hadn't expected you back yet. Is there something wrong?"

"N-no. It's not that," the maid shook her head. She breathed in deeply again.

'… _..alright. Let's do this. Just….let's do this. Let's not waste Corrin and Azura's time. Come on, Flora.'_

"Jakob….." Flora started, ignoring the reddening of her cheeks. "…..would you….come with me to the Festival of Stars tomorrow night?"

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that's that. Guess you'll just have to wait until next chapter to find out.**

 **Anyway, next chapter, we're going to see the Festival that we've been looking forward to for the last 19-odd chapters. Let's do this. The Festival of Stars is going to be a two-parter, so I hope I can do it justice.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, reviews, suggestions and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	19. The Festival of Stars, Part 1!

**The Festival of Stars, Part 1!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Jeez, it's been a long while coming, this chapter. Yet, here it comes. Yes, the Festival of Stars. The Hoshidan equivalent of** _ **Tanabata**_ **. Hinoka in a slim-fitting** _ **yukata-**_ **I mean what? Anyway, enough talk. Let's get this chapter on the road. After all, I guess you guys are dying to see what has become of everyone's favourite Elsa wannabe, hm? Yes? No? No, I thought you guys would rather see Azura and Corrin make out. Oh well. Anyway, enough rambling!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise we would have butler uniforms for every female character in the game. (I want me some Butler!Scarlet, dammit)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Wake uuuuup! Wake up! Wake up!" Elise shook her sleeping brother frantically, as Corrin snuggled up tighter into his sheets. "Come oonnnn, Corrin! Wake _up_!"

"Five more minutes….." the prince muttered under his breath, closing his eyes harder. Elise pouted, attempting to assume the face of a wounded puppy that-fortunately or unfortunately- she could assume so well.

"Meanie! You promised!" the princess complained. "You promised you'd take me to the Festival! You promised we could see the fireworks!"

Indeed, this was the first time Elise had ever been to a Hoshidan festival. Hoshido was known for throwing lavish festivals, filled with food, festivities and fireworks the envy of all lands from Izumo to Cheve. Compared to Nohr until recently, where food was often hard to come by and festivities rare, Hoshido's famous celebrations were a welcome change for the people of the land. This year, Ryoma had invited Nohrians to attend despite the protests of some members of the Hoshidan nobility; he felt that, after all, the war had been over four years ago, and anyway, the whole business had been started by an insane dragon living in a dead realm, so why should the -mostly- innocent survivors of Nohr be punished?

As for the fireworks, the Festival's fireworks were renown everywhere for being some of the most elaborate and colorful displays anywhere. The sky was said to light up as if it was day when the fireworks went off, and Corrin had seen it on his last visit to Hoshido the year before- the fireworks had taken the form of giant serpentine dragons weaving their way through the night sky, and giant sun-like designs that painted the sky red and yellow for a few glorious seconds. Elise, when she heard about it, immediately demanded Corrin take her to see it, using every persuasive technique- from the puppy eyes to the chipmunk cheeks- known to her to succeed in that endeavour.

For Corrin's part, the young prince continued digging deeper into his sheets, seemingly oblivious to his little sister's protests. Elise crossed her arms petulantly, making an indignant noise.

"Fine then! I guess I'll have to break out the Ultimate Plan, just like Odin taught me!" the princess declared, before taking a running start into jumping onto Corrin's sleeping form.

"Wake uuuppp-oof!"

Elise was met with a pillow, as Corrin sat up in bed, holding her back with a pillow almost effortlessly.

"I'm kidding, Elise," Corrin replied, a sleepy smirk forming on his face as he opened his eyes, his sheets falling about him to reveal he was already dressed to leave. Elise whined, her cheek pressed up against the pillow.

"You're mean sometimes, you know that, Big Bro?" the princess rebuked him, pulling herself up. Corrin shook his head, sighing.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "You're just fun to mess with."

Elise simply turned away and turned her nose up snootily, her arms crossed and her long twin ponytails bobbing slightly with her rapid motion. Corrin smiled.

"Oh, don't be like that, Elise."

"You're mean! I want an apology, meanieface!"  
"I'll get you some of the _takoyaki_ you like so much," the prince offered teasingly. Elise whimpered slightly; Corrin knew she loved Hoshidan food dearly.

"I-I still want an apology, and y-you're still a meanie!"  
"What if I make breakfast, apologise and buy you _takoyaki_?"

"…are you going to make those nice pancakes you learned how to make in the Outrealms?"  
"Sure."

"Yay!" Elise immediately wrapped her arms around Corrin's waist, hugging her brother tightly. "All is forgiven!"  
"Sorry about that," Corrin replied, patting her on the head affectionately. "Oh, Elise, never grow old. I think the world would lose something nice if you did. Now come on, I'll go cook. You set two plates out. Felicia, Flora and Jakob, I've asked to take the day off today, so it's just us two in the palace today, alright?"  
"Okay!" Elise nodded hastily, before detaching from her brother's body and skipping out of his room, bounding down the corridor. Corrin sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he poked his head out of the corridor to look down at Azura's room.

The songstress' door was slightly ajar. Corrin figured this meant that she'd already gone off to loiter around Shirasagi; he'd offered to invite her to come with him and Elise to enjoy the Festival of Stars, but she decided to let Elise have some quality time with her big brother.

The festival hadn't started just yet, of course; the events opened around noon, and didn't really properly kick off until around sunset; coincidentally, this was when most of the Nohrian visitors would come. Corrin already had a mental list of people he expected to show up from outside Hoshido; Izana was probably going to show up with a ton of famed Izumoan fireworks to contribute to the festival, Shura had already been invited along with the people of Kohga, and of _course_ Scarlet was going to come. Corrin would hardly be surprised if Scarlet wasn't already there, trying to drag Ryoma out for a drink or something similar.

' _Today's going to be a great day,'_ , the prince mused to himself. _'I just know it.'_

* * *

 _Shirasagi Town….._

"This is a really pretty…you-kahta?" Felicia looked down, wearing a dark blue _yukata_ with red floral patterns and tied with a thin red _obi_ around the waist to keep it together, blushing slightly as she gazed at Kaze. The ninja himself dressed in a plain green robe, left untied to reveal a tighter black undershirt beneath, a fair bit more modest than his usual wear in the course of his job.

The two of them were sat in the middle of the market square of Shirasagi, sitting among the crowd of early visitors and frustrated vendors finalising their stalls and various decorations for the Festival. Streamers and banners of all sorts, from advertisements for various shops to banners welcoming visitors to Hoshido, were hung among the buildings, with one made by Oboro hanging directly above them, enticing people with half-price on tailormade _kimono_. The air in the city was one of excitement and anticipation, but also of bustling business and hubbub that was rare, save a few other times of the year, all other festivals in the Hoshidan calendar. Indeed, Shirasagi was legendary for the preparations it undertook to prepare the city for a festival, going anywhere from weeks to even months, in the case of the New Year celebrations, as well as the absolutely lavish festivals the city held, even by Hoshidan standards.

" _Yukata_ , Felicia," Kaze calmly corrected her. "And such an outfit befits its wearer."

Felicia's cheeks reddened, as she squeaked in surprise. "E-eh?"  
"It was just a compliment," the ninja reassured her, saying this as he brushed a stray hair out of Felicia's eyes away. "Don't worry about it."  
"Heheh…." She shivered slightly, looking away. "Y-yeah. We're just friends, right? I mean, we have been _friends_ for a while, and t-together- b-but not _together-_ together- and you know, I mean, what are the chances of us being here _right now_? I mean, you're _handsome_ \- not t-that I'm saying that because I _like_ you, but-"  
"Felicia, calm down," Kaze placed his hands on her shoulders, staring her straight in the eye. "You're overthinking this. I don't know what you just said there, but please, calm down."  
The maid was relieved that Kaze wasn't cognizant of what she'd just said, breathing in deeply. "O-okay. Okay. I'm fine! Everything's fine."

Kaze closed his eyes, chuckling. "…..alright, Felicia. As you say. I do realise that there is one thing I haven't told you."  
"W-wuh? What is it?"

"I never did tell you about _why_ we celebrate this festival," the ninja explained. At that, Felicia was genuinely curious; she remembered, all those weeks ago, that Kaze had promised to explain the legend behind the Festival of Stars.

"Oh, right. I-I'd like to hear it."

Kaze sighed, nodding with a slight smile on his face. "Alright. I'll explain it to you. This is a story that my dad told us, when Saizou and I were children…"

…

 _Once upon a time, there was a crafty prince, son of the King who reigns in heaven. His weaving was unrivalled in all the world, and his father was proud of his son's weaving. He pressed his son to work hard upon his weaving, and hard did he work indeed, endlessly toiling to make the greatest cloth that was the pride of all heaven above. The palace of heaven was known for his lovely cloth, which was beloved on both sides of the river that parts the heavens._

 _One day, he approached his father, despondent. He was worried that, with all the weaving he did for his father, that he could never really meet someone he loved, and that he would spend all his days alone forever, toiling away in the palace of heaven. His father, moved by his son's plight, offered to let him cross the river that parts the heavens, to go across and meet someone he could fall in love with._

 _No sooner than he did when he met a shepherdess, a simple and hardworking girl, who was working on the herd of celestial sheep that fed the heavens. They fell in love on sight, and no sooner than a week had passed when they had become husband and wife. At first, the heavens rejoiced, and the King of Heaven was joyous, for his son would finally feel loved._

… _._

"Awww…." Felicia sighed happily. "That's such a sweet story. That's the same story my dad tells us about how he met his wife."

Kaze lifted an eyebrow. "Kilma's wife?"

"Yeah….he always spoke about how she was a cowherd when he met her," Felicia explained, summoning up long-buried memories. "He loved her a lot, considering he told that story quite a few times."

"Ah…..alright," the ninja nodded, understanding. "So, shall I continue?"  
"Yes, please."

… _._

 _Yet the relationship soon soured for everyone else. The shepherdess would not tend her sheep and let them run rampant across the heavens, and the prince would not weave his cloth, and soon the King, enraged by this dereliction of duty, split the couple apart, banishing the shepherdess across to the other side of the river and leaving his son alone once more, and both parted with heavy hearts, desiring to come with the other. In tears, his son begged the King to be able to meet his beloved wife, desperate to see her again._

 _Moved once more by his son's plight, the King relented, letting them meet once a year, on the seventh day, of the seventh month, when all the weaving had been done and sheep had been herded. When the elated couple tried to meet once more, however, they found that there was no bridge, for the King had cast it asunder in his rage. Despairing, the Prince, saddened, wept at the bank of the river, until a flock of Kinshi birds approached. Feeling sorry for the couple, the Kinshi formed a bridge, upon which the couple could cross and be with each other._

 _And so it was that once a year, on the seventh day, of the seventh month, these Kinshi would come, come rain or sun, snow or storm, and the prince and the shepherdess would meet, though star-crossed lovers they were, and rekindle their love for one blissful night._

* * *

"Aww….." Felicia's hands curled in her lap as she frowned, looking up at Kaze. "D-do they eventually end up being able to see each other for more than a day?"

Kaze sighed, shaking his head good-naturedly. "You remind me of Saizou, when he was a child. He was a lot happier then."  
"Really? I-I'm like Saizou?" Felicia almost chortled; even she realised the inherent hilarity of a clumsy, adorable child version of the serious, manly ninja they knew and loved. "He asked this same question?"  
"He did indeed," the green ninja nodded in confirmation. "Our father always said that that's where it ended. I remember, the first time he told us the story, he cried himself to sleep."

The maid giggled at that. "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Wow…." Felicia was amazed by this revelation. She'd only ever known the serious ninja in red, and never the apparently clumsy, wondrous child that Saizou used to be. "…..what happened to him?"  
"I feel he wouldn't want me to tell you," Kaze replied cautiously, as if wary of his brother's presence. "Maybe you can ask him yourself, Felicia."  
The maid nodded, looking away as she brushed a pink hair from her eyes. She nervously attempted to change the subject. "I can't believe such a nice festival has such a tragic story behind it….."

"We're not celebrating the tragedy of their separation," Kaze serenely answered. "We're celebrating the fact that the lovers, even if just for one night, can be together, even against the odds. Isn't that something worth celebrating?"

The pink-haired girl slowly shook her head. "I….I personally think that's not the best ending."

"Well, sometimes, things can't be helped, right?"  
"N-no," Felicia firmly replied. "I think that…..you know, maybe…..maybe if you try hard enough, you can get what you want. I-I've learned that much from being around Corrin."

"Ah, yes," Kaze chuckled. "Corrin. Well….I suppose you have a point there. I can't imagine what he'd do if he was the prince in that story."

"I'd tell my father where he could shove it and go join my wife on the other side of the river. Just so you know. Probably while flying on the back of one of the Kinshi."

Felicia almost jumped, as the couple turned to see Corrin and Elise behind them, with Elise carrying a paper tray of _takoyaki_ , her cheeks already messy with bits of octopus and batter.

"Corrin," Kaze greeted him with a smile. "I see you're here early to enjoy lunch. And my, my, Lady Elise, you're making a mess of that _takoyaki_."

"It's so good!" the princess exclaimed, slightly muffled by the food in her mouth. The prince sighed, closing his eyes and taking out a handkerchief, bending down to dab the food from his sister's cheeks.

"I swear, Elise, you're a child in an adult's body. Not even that, now that I think of it," Corrin teased her gently.

"I drink milk, okay?" Elise retorted, before a look of realisation dawned on her face, as she smirked mischievously at her brother. "And it takes one to know one!"

"Ooh, I'm hurt," her older brother replied dramatically, placing a hand on his chest as if he'd been pierced with an arrow. "Thy venomous barbs are the stuff of devils, sister dear."  
Felicia giggled at the small comedy act. "You two really act like brother and sister, even if you aren't blood-related, you know that?"

"Corrin may be a meanie sometimes, but he's the best big brother ever!" The princess declared proudly, her earlier teasing forgotten.

"Well, anyway, that's not what we were here for," Corrin explained, his tone of voice gaining a serious edge. "I was wondering if you'd seen where your sister went."

"Flora?" Felicia repeated, thinking carefully as she looked to Kaze. "Kaze, did you see any sign of her?"  
"Not at all, no."  
"No, me neither," the maid turned back to Corrin, shaking her head. "I thought she was back at the palace with you two."

"Hm," Corrin looked down, thinking carefully. "I thought she'd be here with Jakob already. Maybe they went elsewhere in town. Well, anyway, after I head over to say hi to Ryoma, I'm heading back home with Elise to get changed."

"And I get to see how Sakura looks in that cute dress I bought for her!" Elise chirped cheerfully, bobbing up and down. "Selena helped me pick it out! I think it'd look totally cute on her!"

"A-alright," Felicia nodded at Corrin, looking down. "Well, if you see Flora, tell her I-I wish her good luck with her first night out with Jakob. I-I know she was really looking forward to spending t-time with him tonight…."

"Alright, well then," Corrin dusted himself off. "Also…..you two look like a traditional wife and groom. You two getting married tonight?"  
"W-wuh?! C-C-Corrin!" Felicia cried in protest. "W-we're just friends! I-I swear!"

Kaze sighed, shaking his head. " _Yare yare daze_ , Corrin," the ninja remarked, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You really are troublesome sometimes, you know that?"

Corrin smiled cheekily in response. "I couldn't resist. Anyway, you two have fun, alright? Maybe we'll see each other later. Bye!"

As Elise waved at the pair, Corrin was already pushing through the crowd, heading towards Castle Shirasagi to meet up with his older brother.

* * *

 _Castle Shirasagi_ ….

"Are you sure you will not accompany my daughter to the Festival celebrations, milord?" A stout Hoshidan _daimyo_ , with thin, wispy whiskers and a small goatee, clad in swordmaster's armor with the banner of his clan painted on the front, looked up at Ryoma, who sat upon the white throne of Hoshido. The King of Hoshido stared down at the red-faced visitor, a regal air about himself akin to a god looking down upon their worshippers.

"I am positive, Lord Satou. I am sure your daughter will have no shortage of suitors. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?"

Satou sighed, taking one more bow to his king. "No, milord. May the gods look well upon you this day."

Backing away while looking down, the _daimyo_ left Ryoma's presence, leaving the Hoshidan king alone.

The Hoshidan king, the esteemed ruler of one of the two Great Kingdoms of the land, famed for his self-control and his bravery in the face of all odds and the worthy successor to King Sumeragi himself, audibly groaned, visibly irritated by what had just transpired.

"That…..is the third time today someone's offered their daughter to you, fifth counting the marriage proposals," Takumi remarked, scratching his head confusedly. "Brother, are you going to take _any_ of those offers?"

"No," stated Ryoma bluntly, before rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Lord Satou's especially. I believe I've heard more about his daughters in the past three days than I care to know. I hope someone who will care for them will take them; they were genuinely lovely women."

"You know, I trust you as much as anyone," the younger man started, frowning. "But the lords of the land really are starting to wonder when you'll actually take a wife, brother. It's not as if you can choose just not to have mistresses-"

"I'll take a wife when I find the right woman," Ryoma replied succinctly. "And I will take no mistresses."

The exasperated look on Takumi's face said it all; this wasn't the first time Ryoma had answered that question this way. "And when will that be? Again, if you'll argue your case well, then I'll have your back, you know that, but when?"

Suddenly, loud shouting ensued from down the corridor. Takumi's already exasperated expression simply deepened.

"Oh, is it Lord Oda again? That man can never learn to take no for an answer," the archer sighed.

The shouting approached the throne room. Ryoma instinctively reached for Raijinto, while Takumi slid the Fujin Yumi from his side, his hand already on the string.

It was just in case, of course. Nobody was stupid enough to actually try to hurt Ryoma, of course; it was well known that he was one of the people directly responsible for slaying the mad dragon god Anankos, and even more well-known that he carried around a massive _katana_ that sparked with lightning. An assassin attempting to kill Ryoma would be hard-pressed to, especially considering that and his two highly experienced retainers, who themselves were assassins. And anyway, there hadn't been many assassins- in fact, none- since the end of the war, and scarcely any before Garon came to power in Nohr.

But it was always good to be careful. They'd learned as much during the war against Anankos.

However, their guard was soon proven unnecessary, as the throne room doors were cast open, with two exhausted palace guards leaning against the doors exhausted, as Scarlet, clad in red armor, waved at Ryoma from the door.

"Man, I forgot how big this place was!" the wyvern rider declared, stretching her arms. "You're pretty much sorted for the rest of your life, huh?"

The regal youth released a breath he hadn't even been aware he'd been holding in. "…..ah. Scarlet. Good afternoon."  
"Hey, Ryoma! Hey, pineapple head!" Scarlet greeted them, teasing Takumi in the process. The boy grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Please tell me you weren't waiting for _her_ , Ryoma."

"My lord!" One of the guards called. "S-she just burst in past us like we were nothing! Please, be cautious!"  
"Be calm!" Ryoma pronounced, causing his men to look at him strangely. "This woman is a friend of mine. She helped us in the fight against Anankos. At ease, men."

The guards looked at him in disbelief, but Ryoma's orders were clear. The men slowly backed off, bowing to Ryoma.

"We're sorry, milord," the guard to Scarlet's left hastily sputtered as he bowed hurriedly to Ryoma alongside his compatriot. "We won't bother you again!"

Both guards retreated, leaving the three alone in the throne room. Scarlet whistled appreciatively.

"So, I see you're still keeping the hair," the wyvern knight teased. "Suits you, you know?"

Ryoma quietly chuckled. "Still the same as always. You haven't changed in four years."

"I like to think I'm the best me I can possibly be," Scarlet retorted confidently, an assured glint in her eyes. "I don't need to change to be a badass."

The young King shook his head, a tender look on his face. "Indeed, you don't."

"Oh, kill me," Takumi groaned in disgust; even at his age, there were some things the boy still reacted to like a teenager. "You two, just kiss already. I'll send for the priestesses."

"Kiss? Before your brother takes me out for drinks?" Scarlet scoffed dismissively. "Please."

Ryoma stared at her in disbelief. "N-No, I couldn't. I'm not as free as I used to be. Scarlet-"

"Oh come on," the wyvern knight complained, looking disappointedly. "You owe me a drink, lobster boy. Besides, you're the _King_. Who's going to stop you, those jokers?"

Scarlet pointed her thumb at the door behind her, referring to the guards who had failed to stop her from entering, to emphasise her point. Ryoma looked down, thinking carefully.

' _A drink with Scarlet does sound like a good way of spending the Festival….'_ he admitted; though he'd never say it, he did hold a soft spot for the blithe spirit in front of him.

Okay, perhaps he _had_ admitted how much Scarlet really meant to him, before, once, during the war. But that was a story for another time.

"And what, are you going to wait for _another_ old guy to shove his daughters in front of you?"

"Yeah, Ryoma, you're not going to get a better date to the Festival than Scarlet here," Corrin called as he walked in alone, smiling at his brother. Ryoma's face lit up, elated at seeing his brother.

"Ah, Corrin," greeted Ryoma, a genuine smile on his face. "I suppose you're just here for a little while before the Festival starts?"

"Heya," Scarlet grinned at the young prince. "Can you tell your brother to just come join me for drinks already?"  
Corrin chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, it would do for Hoshido's morale if they see their King having a little fun for once. It'd certainly make him look less like an old lobster."

Ryoma scoffed, bemused at his brother's teasing. "An old lobster?"

"An old lobster indeed," Takumi muttered, staring suspiciously at Corrin. "If you're planning some sort of antic-"  
"Oh, come off it, brother dear," Corrin retorted cheekily. "Have some festival spirit. Why don't you take Oboro out for some dinner, hm?"

"M-Maybe I will take someone out for dinner on the Festival, hm?" Takumi harshly answered, crossing his arms. "Then what?"  
"Then I'd give my little brother a pat on the back for being a good man," the prince replied even more cheekily. Takumi sputtered, attempting to respond to his verbal riposte as Corrin turned his attention to Ryoma.

"But yeah, Ryoma. It won't kill you to have a _little_ fun with Scarlet," the prince reassured his older brother. "Like she said, what are you going to do, wait for Lord Oda to come back threatening to rain fire and death upon you unless you marry his sixth daughter or something?"

Scarlet flashed a wide grin. "See? Your brother knows what he's talking about."

"Ah….I suppose there's no reason why I couldn't, just this once," Ryoma sighed, chuckling quietly. "Yes, Scarlet, I accept your invitation."

Scarlet quietly pumped her fist triumphantly. " _Finally_. Now get off that thing and get dressed. We're going!"

"Eh? Already?" Ryoma inquired. Scarlet would have none of it, giving him an impatient glare.

"Yes, _already_! Well, you going to stand there all day like a lemon? Come on!"

Corrin sighed, smiling. "Well, I'll leave you two to that. I'll just grab Elise and leave. I think she might be having a little _too_ much fun shoving Sakura in a corset…."

He shuddered as he heard the echoed laughter of his Nohrian little sister from upstairs, followed by the squeaks of his Hoshidan sister in embarrassment.

Ryoma sighed, exasperated. "Yes. I think she might."

* * *

 _Shirasagi Town….._

Corrin looked down at Elise, the two walking hand in hand to prevent themselves from being lost in the slowly gathering crowd. By this time, the sun was beginning to get low in the sky, and more and more visitors were arriving. Corrin could spy caravans with the emblem of Nohr painted on the side, and he swore he could see Benny somewhere in the crowd, with Beruka's small head of teal hair bobbing at his side. The visitors from other nations were arriving and mingling with Shirasagi citizens.

"Guess we'd better start heading back and getting changed," the prince commented to Elise. When she heard him, her face lit up with anticipation. Elise knew what that meant already.

"Are we going to see the fireworks when we come back?" The princess asked excitedly. Corrin nodded slowly, grinning.

"Yay!" Elise squealed joyfully. "Finally, the best part of the night!"

"Well, aren't you excited."

Corrin and Elise turned around to see Azura, already dressed in a plain white _yukata_ tied with a black _obi_ and carrying around a floral pattern fan.

"Like what you see?", the songstress teased. "I called in a few favors for this one. It's a little tight around the chest, but it looks great."

Corrin made an approving noise. "Well, I'd think it'd be a bit _loose_ around the chest. You sure you're not delusional?"  
"Your fantasy, not mine," Azura playfully retorted, grinning for a moment. "Who knows, maybe I might net a nice partner to spend the night with."  
"You're not here with someone?" Elise inquired, tilting her head. "Why?"

"Eh, didn't find anyone I wanted to come with yet," Azura sighed, shrugging casually. "Sometimes, that's just the way it is."

Corrin rolled his eyes. "Please, you were probably waiting for me to come with you, weren't you?"

"Hmph," the songstress rolled her own eyes. "Maybe I was. What'll you say then? But no, I should let you and your sister spend some quality time together for once."

Elise giggled at that. "You're such a cool big sister, you know that?"

"Not the best role model, I'll say," Azura joked blithely, before inhaling deeply. "But, on a serious note, have you seen Flora, Corrin?"  
"Actually, I was going to ask you that," the prince replied, gazing at her curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"I was expecting her to have been here by now. I thought she was going to enjoy the festival with Jakob early," the songstress explained. "Maybe she's still getting ready."

Corrin felt a slight sense of dread, but he shook his head, dispelling it for the moment. "…..I'll see if she's still at the palace. She might be around in the town, though."

"Alright," Azura nodded at that. "Tell me if you find her, okay? I'm really hoping she's having the time of her life with Jakob."

With that, the songstress walked off, leaving Corrin and Elise alone in the crowd. The princess tugged on her older brother's arm.

"Corrin? Is Flora going to be okay?" Elise inquired plaintively. Corrin thought carefully, before nodding.

"…..she should be, yes. Azura just wants me to check to make sure. We've been trying to get them together for weeks, so she doesn't want anything to go wrong."

"Oh. Okay!" Elise's earlier apprehension was forgotten, and she was back to her cheerful self. "So, shall we go back, then? We should get changed! The fireworks might start soon!"

"Yeah," the prince chuckled as he nodded in agreement "We should get going."

…..

 _Fort Corrin…._

As Elise bounded up the staircase towards her room, Corrin calmly strolled back, looking around the palace corridors for any sign of the blue-haired maid. He was beginning to be worried.

'… _.she would've shown up by now if everything had gone right,'_ the prince thought to himself. _'…..I hope everything's okay.'_

"Oh. Hello, Corrin."

Corrin froze as he began to feel the chill, literally and figuratively, run down his neck. He turned around to see Flora, a broom in hand as she swept the palace floors. There were tear stains on her cheeks, ones which she surreptitiously attempted to hide with a hand.

"I….I hope you'll excuse me," the maid requested, trying to put on a smile for her friend's sake despite her clear sadness. "I just thought….that the floor needed cleaning tonight. Don't mind me, Corrin. I-I'm fine. Don't let me put a damper on your day."

And Corrin knew what had happened in an instant. He didn't need to ask Flora what had happened between her and Jakob. He knew her well enough to know already.

' _All that for nothing….'_ Corrin thought to himself as he looked at the maid- no, _his friend_ -, who looked guiltily at him as she continued sweeping the floor. He could feel his own guilt crawling up around him. _'I can't believe I didn't see this coming.'_

' _This is my fault. I shouldn't have gotten her hopes up so much. This is_ _ **my**_ _fault.'_

"Flora, I'm so sorry…." The prince started, but Flora wouldn't have any of it.

"N-no, it's quite alright," she waved him off, shaking her head. "It's quite alright. I'm….I know I'm stupid, I know I'm being sensitive for crying about something like this, I just….I thought after all that…..I built up my confidence for nothing."

She choked slightly. Flora blinked, closing her eyes to wipe a fresh tear from her eye.

She squeaked suddenly. "Huh"

Corrin had wrapped his arms around her, hugging Flora closely. The maid's eyes widened, as she looked down around herself, as if not believing what was happening.

"C-Corrin?"

"….I'm sorry. I….I shouldn't have put your hopes so high," the prince apologised, shaking his head as he hugged his friend, his voice low with regret. "Forgive me, please. I….I should've been more careful…."

"I…..y-you were just trying to help," Flora reassured him, sniffling as she wrapped her own arms around him, using him for support. "Y-you and Azura….I know things don't always work out as you think t-they should. I just…I want to work tonight. To forget this ever happened."

Corrin already knew what was going to happen if he let Flora work that night. She would let this stew within herself, blaming herself for not being good enough for Jakob. It would stay with her like a cankerous growth, and she would never have the confidence to approach someone on her own again. Perhaps she would, and Corrin was being too paranoid, but this was a friend of his, a dear friend, and he refused to take a chance.

Flora was the kind to blame herself for things that went wrong, even if she couldn't have possibly done a thing about it; he'd seen it in her during the war, he'd seen it in her before the war and the gods help him if he hadn't seen it in her afterwards. Something like this would ruin her self-esteem, and Corrin needed to do something about it, before something happened that even his plotting couldn't fix.

' _No,'_ the prince resolved. _'Not tonight. Flora deserves to be happy tonight, of all nights. I know what I need to do now, to make this right.'_

' _To make it up to Flora.'_

"No, Flora, you aren't," Corrin calmly stated as he released Flora from the maid stared at him with wide eyes, already knowing but not believing what Corrin was about to say.  
"C-Corrin, what a-are you-"  
"Flora…..I would be honored if you would come with me and Elise to the Festival."

* * *

 **To be continued….**


	20. The Festival of Stars, Part 2!

"C-Corrin," Flora uttered with a halting voice, gazing at Corrin with wide, teary eyes. "What a-are you-"

"Flora…." Corrin cut her off, breathing in deeply to regain his own composure. "…..I would be honored if you would accompany me and Elise to the Festival."

The maid was stunned and taken aback by the offer, staring at him.

' _He's…..he's not joking, is he?'_

"C-Corrin, you can't!", Flora protested, shaking her head rigorously. "I wouldn't want you to spend the first night you've h-had in a while with your sister trying to bring me along-"  
"And I _refuse_ to let you spend the night here alone, stewing in regret," Corrin interrupted her, as bluntly and gently as he could muster. "Because you're my friend, and to hell with anyone who says I should do otherwise."

He paused briefly. Flora tilted her head, curiosity blossoming in her mind.

"…..okay, except Elise. She might need some persuading. I'll bribe her with _takoyaki_ again."

Flora, despite her saddened mood, snorted amusedly at Corrin's off-topic comment. "Corrin, you don't have to do that for me…."  
"Nonsense. Of course I do. Come on, Flora," the prince offered her his hand. "Come with us."

"…..you're sure you want me around with you? I-I'll just be….tagging along…." The maid replied, sniffling slightly.

"Do you see any _other_ blue-haired maids who happen to be around here?"

"You don't need to bribe me, Big Bro! Flora can come join us anytime!"

Elise smiled, hugging Flora around the waist, prompting her to squeak in surprise.

"L-Lady Elise!"

"Corrin and I'll make tonight the best night ever!" Elise reassured her, grinning up at her. "Just for you! You may not be my _real_ big sister, but I'll treat you like one anyway!"

Flora couldn't help but smile at that. The young princess' optimism and happiness was infectious, even threatening for a moment to make her forget what had happened earlier tonight.

' _And Corrin…he has a point.'_ the maid thought to herself. _'…he's right. I deserve to have a good night tonight. He's right. I can't beat myself up over this. And…..I don't think a night with Corrin would be such a bad idea.'_

Flora took Corrin's hand, nodding slowly at first, then more vigorously as she gained her resolve. She wiped the last of her tears from her grey eyes, a small smile dawning upon her face.

"…I would be happy to join you two. More than happy."

Elise cheered, tightening her hug around Flora's waist. "Yaaaaaaay! You're going to _love_ tonight! There's food and fireworks and everything you could ever get all in one place!"

Corrin returned her smile, before nodding and relinquishing her hand. "Good to have you along with us. But, first, I'd like to show you something. Elise, you know where it is, right?"

"Your room, the cabinet, second drawer," the princess rattled off as if it was a shopping list, nodding with each word. "Don't worry, Corrin, I know how to put it on! Sakura showed me how!"

The prince tipped his head towards her. "Alright then. Elise, show her the way."

"Come on, Flora!" The princess grabbed Flora by the hand rigorously, almost bouncing down the corridor. The maid half-laughed, half-squeaked as she was dragged away, leaving Corrin behind to dust himself off.

"Ah. I should probably get changed too, shouldn't I?" the young man remarked to nobody in particular, before heading off in the opposite direction.

* * *

 _Minutes later…._

Corrin waited patiently near the portal that was to lead them back to Shirasagi Town, a small Nohrian satchel wrapped around himself. As for his attire, Corrin had abandoned his elaborate suit of armor- a gift of sorts from Anankos-as-Garon, who wanted to use Corrin's power for his own- for a more suitable traditional Hoshidan _yukata_ for the occasion.

His attire was really good needlework on Oboro's part; it was a birthday gift of hers for the prince, unlike the others. It was a faded red robe, with no designs upon it, untied and open around the chest to reveal a white undershirt. The _obi_ used to keep the robe and undershirt on was wide and dyed a deep blue, and the prince wore a long black skirt underneath, reaching down to his feet, which were, as always, unadorned.

"I wonder how long until those two are done changing clothes," Corrin mused, looking at the newly installed clock- a Nohrian invention, surprisingly- in the entrance hall to the palace. It wasn't as good or advanced as an Outrealm clock- Corrin was already used to those weird digital clocks he saw while working in coffee shops- but it served its purpose. Currently, it was about five minutes before six. The sun had likely set- and if it hadn't, it would soon. The fireworks would likely start an hour afterwards, giving festivalgoers chances to have food, find a place to watch the fireworks and whatnot.

"A-are you sure this is how you wear it, Lady Elise?"  
"I told you, stop calling me 'Lady'! I feel old if you do that! Just call me Elise! And of course that's how you wear it!"

"It feels rather light."

"You're not used to wearing different clothing, huh?"

Corrin turned around to the talking girls, smiling as he admired them. "You two done?"

Elise grinned, nodding as she clutched Flora's arm. "Yup!"

"How….how do I look?" Flora inquired plaintively, an anxious expression across her pale face.

Elise was dressed in a vibrant red _yukata_ , clad in stylized rose patterns that were dyed lavender, on Corrin's insistence and in honor of Camilla. It was rather large on the young princess; Oboro had made it assuming Elise had grown like Sakura had, but that added to the innocent, childish aura that she already had. Elise clutched a pink fan with ornate birds painted across it, a gift of Sakura's for her from her last birthday. The young princess would look almost perfect, was it not for her _obi_ 's ribbon being located at the front instead of at the back, where one would expect it to be. Combined with the largeness of the _obi_ sash, Elise appeared like a toy wind-up doll, with the key on the front rather than the back.

Flora, on the other hand, was much more elegant and refined than her younger companion. Clad in a light blue _yukata_ , hers was plain, with black lining around the wrists, collar and bottom, along with a wide, black _obi_ tying her robe closed. Her hair, normally groomed into two ponytails, was groomed into one long azure ponytail, expertly tied; Corrin mused that this was probably Elise's work. The robe seemed to hug the maid's figure closer than Corrin had thought; it was hardly the first time he'd noticed Flora's figure, but perhaps the change of frame made it look different.

The prince grinned. "You look nice. Elise, you too, but you have the _obi_ the wrong way around."

"Do I have to?" Elise complained with a pout. "It's so hard to tie it right if I have to do it from behind!"

"It's not proper to have an _obi_ at the front. Trust me, you don't want to know what they think of people who do."

The princess made a defiant noise, but turned her sash around, placing the ribbon to face behind her. Flora, for her part, looked down at her _yukata_ , before gazing at Corrin.

"You…..took the time to get something like this for me?" Flora inquired, half-disbelieving and half-gratefully. Corrin slowly nodded.

"Of course. I'm not letting you go without something nice to wear. Not that your maid uniform isn't nice, but you know. A change of pace is nice."

Flora smiled, agreeing with him. "This is rather light. When did you have the time to buy this?"

"Actually, I called in a few favors," the prince explained. "Oboro made the _yukatas_. Took us both ages to find good fabric for them."

"…..I'm surprised you didn't get something like this for Azura," Flora wistfully mused. "She might've appreciated this."

Corrin snorted. "Please. Azura would just ask if I'd bought her a swimsuit to come with the clothing."

"I'm afraid I haven't known her as long as I'd like to," Flora confessed. "Is she always so teasing?"

"When you get to know her, yes. People never get far enough to realise that the quiet blue-haired dancer girl is actually the most sarcastic woman to walk the face of this continent."

The maid nodded in agreement, smiling. "Would you have it any other way?"  
"No. Never."

"Neither would I."

"Azura's the best big sis ever!" Elise chirped in, giggling, before shifting her suddenly serious gaze to Corrin. "When are we going for the fireworks?"

"Alright, alright, Elise," the prince sighed resignedly, turning to Flora. "Can't keep the princess waiting. Shall we be off?"

"A-ah. Of course," the maid nodded hurriedly, giving Elise an apologetic glance. "Sorry."  
"I'm just kidding around with you, silly!" Elise grinned cheekily at her, before yanking her by the arm and running towards the portal. "Now, let's go!"

"Ah!" Flora squeaked in surprise, as she was pulled along by the young princess. Corrin shook his head, following along.

* * *

 _Shirasagi Town…._

"Oh my," Flora put a hand to her mouth, looking around the bustling town as she, Corrin and Elise strolled around. "This is…..quite the festival."

Now that night had come to Shirasagi, the city was truly buzzing with life. Lanterns shone with a warm orange glow, hanging in rows over the bustling stone streets. The low hum of chatter echoed slightly between the stalls, with festivalgoers mingling with the shopkeepers. Nohrian and Hoshidan alike could be seen sharing bowls of _udon_ , _yakisoba_ and other assorted Hoshidan dishes on various benches or sat on the stairs leading into the plaza.

Flora could even make out Azama's bushy head of hair among the crowd, seemingly being yanked along by Effie, who appeared to be carrying a veritable stack of plates heaving with food. Elise waved happily at her former bodyguard, who responded with a vigorous nod; it was hardly going to be possible for her to wave if she had food in one hand and an unfortunate monk in the other. And perhaps it was a trick of the eye, but she thought she saw Takumi loitering around somewhere in the vicinity of Lady Camilla, who seemed to be having a good time with Selena.

It was as if the whole city had come alive.

Flora gazed around in wonder, her mouth slightly agape. "I've….never seen something like this before."  
"Sakura told me that this kind of festival only ever happens in this city!" Elise explained cheerfully. "It's pretty, isn't it?"

"It makes me wish my homeland had something like this," Flora mused wistfully, her eyes still taking in everything around her. "The Ice Tribe would never hold something like this."

"Why not?" Corrin inquired, curious.

"It seems rather extravagant. Until recently, we never had much, even at the best of times. We always only had enough to survive, nothing more, even if we did thrive in the icy cold," the maid replied, looking away with a sigh. "I'm a little jealous, I have to admit."

Elise smiled at her sympathetically. "Don't worry. This is my first time at something like this, too. We never had something like this in Nohr!"  
"It's true," Corrin affirmed his sister's remarks. "She complained about wanting to take Sakura's place when she told her about the festivals."

The princess giggled. "Well, Sakura has the festivals, but _I_ have the best big brother!" She latched her arms around Corrin's waist, smiling triumphantly to an absent competitor.

Flora giggled lightly. "You really do love your brother, don't you?"

"Don't you? He's always nice, and he's smart, and he's funny!"

"Well, I suppose I can't say I don't," the maid replied. Corrin raised an eyebrow quizzically at her. Flora was oblivious as to what she'd said, before instantly flushing red and shaking her head vigorously.

"N-not like that, Corrin! I promise, n-not like that!"

The prince smirked mischievously. "I wasn't complaining, you know."

"….you really are the most shameless person I've ever met, bar Niles. You know that?"

"Still, I'm glad you really do see me as a friend, Flora. Even if I have to drum it into you that I am, in fact, your friend."

The maid looked away guiltily, clearing her throat.

"S-sorry. I'm just…you know? For the longest time, I….you, Jakob and Felicia were….all I had. Gunter, sometimes, but you three…..you three were my only friends. I know you're my friends, but….I'm scared, sometimes."

"Scared? Of what?"  
"That you might get tired of me, or that…..we'd grow apart," Flora confessed in a low voice, playing with her ponytail. "I know I'm not like Azura, or Silas, or Kaze or Mozu or even my sister. I-I'm not intelligent, I'm not endlessly loyal, I'm not skilled, I'm not _interesting._...I'm scared that you might like my sister more than me, that….that I'm just there because you pity me. Not because you….actually care about me as a person, or what little there is to care about.

I'm scared that you….that everyone would rather have anyone else than me around."

Corrin was silent for a moment. Then he turned to the maid, a solemn expression on his face. Flora, for her part, had already started speaking to try to dissuade him.

"B-but perhaps, that's just my jealousy, and I'm being-"

"Flora."  
"Yes?"

"Shut up."

"…..huh?"

"I promise you, Flora, I don't _care_ if you're not the exemplar of anything. I'm not some bastard who'll just leave you behind because I don't find you interesting. You understand me? I will _never_ abandon you. You know this."

"….y-yes," the maid shakily nodded. "….you said that on that day….in the ravine…"  
"I said it then, I'll say it now," Corrin reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm always by your side. Felicia, Jakob, everyone- they'll be by your side too. You understand that? You have nothing to fear. Come on. Take my hand."

Corrin offered her his hand. Flora took it cautiously, gazing at Corrin.

"Where are we going?"

"Just come on! Quickly, before everyone else shows up!"

"B-but…." The maid hurriedly looked around, realising someone was missing. "Wait, where's Elise?"

Corrin's eyes widened as he searched in vain for his little sister, before sighing and shaking his head. "…..she probably ran off to talk with Effie or Odin or something. We'll find her later. She's an adult now, she can handle herself. Now come on, Flora!"

Taking his hand, the maid was guided through the crowd by the prince.

Nearby, Elise watched them disappear into the crowd, a small smile growing on her face as she kept her head down to avoid being seen.

"…I promised I'd make this night the best night ever, Flora," she whispered under her breath. "I think Corrin would be better at it than me."

Smiling to herself, the princess disappeared to seek Odin; the sorcerer had promised to meet her near the palace, and Elise was eager to reunite with her new best friend.

* * *

"Here! Here!" Corrin yanked Flora aside into a nearby, darkened plaza, as the maid looked around curiously. The two had been walking through alleyways and through crowds for the better part of five minutes, making their way from the centre of Shirasagi Town to this small alcove.

"W-where are we?", she asked as she took in her surroundings, trying to understand what the place was.

Unlike the rest of the city, this small square was silent, with only orange lanterns radiating warmth and the distant roar of the crowd indicating that there was a festival that night. The square was solely comprised of four stone paths leading to a central square on a small hill, upon which a tree with leafless boughs sat, several pieces of paper hung on it with red string, blowing gently in the faint evening breeze. The tree, though it seemed dead, filled Flora with a sense of hope upon looking at it, for whatever reason she didn't know.

Here was an island of solitude in the sea of bustling activity.

"…..what is this place?" she asked again, as Corrin finished making sure they were alone.

"This…is the Hill of Wishes," Corrin explained, as Flora gave him a strange look. "Sakura told me she always visited this place, before the war. She liked making wishes here…can you believe she spent her time wishing that they'd find me one day?"

"….like the one in Nohr, where you tie wishes to the branches?"

"Yes, but this is a different hill," the prince clarified. "This one, you only visit on the night of the Festival of the Stars, though you do tie wishes to it. It's said that the prince and the shepherdess, because they're so happy at being reunited, will grant any wish anyone makes of them tonight if you hang it on this tree, which, people say, they planted to celebrate their reunion."

Flora slowly nodded in understanding. "I see, I see. I….still don't see how this would be any better than the Nohrian Hill of Wishes. The likelihood of any wish being granted here is….small."

"It's said that any wish you hang on here will come true for sure, because the gods themselves will grant it," the prince explained, before snorting dismissively and waving his hand. "I personally think it's a ton of codswallop, but it's fun."

"Codswallop?"  
"Outrealm term. Anyway…." Corrin produced two pieces of paper tied with red string, giving one to her. "Come on, make a wish!"  
"No, I couldn't," the maid shook her head, giggling at the absurdity of it. "I….I don't really have anything worth wishing for, and it seems pointless. Besides, I-"  
"Oh, come off it, of course you do. Come on, Flora, there's got to be something, right? Here, I'll make a wish. We hang it on the tree without telling the other. And then, we go grab some food because I'm hungry and then fine a nice place to sit for the fireworks."

Flora sighed, shaking her head and smiling at Corrin.

' _He's certainly energetic when he wants to be….'_ the maid mused to herself, closing her eyes. _'I really like being around him when he's like this. It's….infectious.'_

"Alright, alright. If you insist." Flora sighed good-naturedly, taking one of the papers and taking out a small graphite stick, scribbled on it her wish.

'… _I know it's stupid to think that some weird superstition like this might do anything,'_ the maid admitted to herself. _'But, for some reason, I feel luckier tonight. Perhaps it's the mood.'_

Corrin, a pen in hand, had already finished his. "Have you finished yours?"

"Here."

"Let's hang them up together. Come on," the prince beckoned her to come along, smiling. Flora nodded, trudging up towards the tree first and carefully tying her wish to the tree. "Your turn."

Corrin nodded, hanging his own wish up on the tree. He dusted his hands off.

"…alright, now for dinner. Come on, my treat!" The prince offered, grinning. "Your pick. I don't mind; I feel like anything Hoshidan might do tonight."

"Are you sure? I'm fine with whatever you might want."  
"Come on, Flora! Tonight's _your_ night! I'm only here to drag you around because you won't do it yourself."

"I…suppose that the _yakisoba_ might be something I'm willing to try, yes. Felicia always says she loved those kinds of noodles, and I've always thought of trying some for myself."

Corrin tapped his chin thoughtfully. "…..well, I think I saw a place that sells _yakisoba_ a few blocks back."  
The maid's eyes lit up excitedly. "Truly? Shall we go, then?"

"Ladies first," the prince teased, gesturing towards one of the paths leading outside the plaza.

….

 _Half an hour later…._

Flora sighed, placing her chopsticks in her wooden bowl and placing aside her bowl of finished _yakisoba_ , with only tiny bits of noodles left in the bowl. The maid looked around, watching Corrin finish his own bowl, as she sat close next to him.

"….thank you, Corrin," the maid uttered quietly. "I can't think of what I would've done if you hadn't….invited me along. I know I must say this a lot, perhaps too much, but thank you."

"Don't mention it," the prince waved her off.

"No, I mean it. I…..I need to do something for you," the maid resolved, clenching her fist tightly in her lap. "I need to help you get with Azura. Or help you with getting someone else together. I can't just….let you do all this for me without some form of repayment."

Corrin smiled. "You don't owe me a thing. Just promise you won't mope around like that, okay? I can't stand seeing you cry. You…..look nicer when you smile. No, scratch that. You're _beautiful_ when you smile."

"Are you flirting with me again?"  
"No, I'm being totally serious!" The prince protested, half-laughing. "Perhaps I've flirted with you too much for you to believe me, but I'm being serious. You really do look beautiful when you smile."

Flora suddenly flashed a mischievous grin. "Is that why you want me to smile so much? Because you find me beautiful when I do? Maybe I'm just eye-candy to you."

Corrin was stunned by her sudden audacity, as Flora collapsed into giggles, unable to maintain her façade.

"I'm sorry, I….I couldn't resist!"  
"…touché, Flora," Corrin conceded defeat to his servant, sighing. "Touché. Being around Azura's a bad influence for you."

"Making those kinds of jokes is….hard," the maid admitted, chuckling despite herself.

"You get used to it. It's the context, really. You've got to have the right context and situation."

"Ah, I see-"

Flora and Corrin's conversation was suddenly interrupted as a man ran past them, yelling at the top of his voice.  
"The fireworks are starting! The fireworks are starting!"  
"Ooh!" Corrin suddenly pulled himself to his feet as swift as he could. "That's our cue. Come on, we'll need a prime seat!"

He offered Flora his hand for the umpteenth time. The maid took it, looking up at him curiously.

"Where to?"  
"Come on, we're getting the _best_ seats for the fireworks we can get."

"Is the marketplace not a good place?"

"It's going to be packed full of people. No, when Elise and I said we'd give you a good night out, only the best will do. Now come on!"

Flora suddenly felt rejuvenated in spite of herself, standing up and putting the bowls aside as she looked around. "Okay, okay! Wait, where do we go? The plaza's going to be full of visitors!"  
"I have an idea!" Corrin called back, chortling as he clambered into an alleyway next to a nearby house, beckoning Flora to follow him.

* * *

"On the roof, Corrin?" Flora looked up curiously as Corrin helped her up, her foot leaving the top of the barrel she'd been standing on. "Is this really safe?"

"It's not that badly slanted," Corrin reassured her, his bare feet scuffing the terracotta tiles on the roof. Guiding her to the side of the roof facing towards Castle Shirasagi, the prince sat down, Flora following suit. "Besides, this has the best view."

Indeed, the house was upon a hill just outside the centre of town, high enough so that the people in the plaza below seemed small and off in the distance. The festivalgoers could be seen like small ants, wandering around the lit plaza and slowly settling in place. Shouting could be heard from the plaza, as eager children and beleaguered parents took their places, with a few more boxes of fireworks being carted to the small alcove somewhere in Shirasagi where they were launched from.

"I hope the owners of this house won't be too angry," the maid commented worriedly. Corrin snorted as he peered over the side of the roof downwards.

"Considering the owner of this house is Kaze, I'm sure he won't mind too much. He still can't get in, considering the massive pile of love letters outside," he replied, gesturing to the massive pile of letters piled up outside the door below.

Flora adjusted herself, resting slightly against the roof. She sat up, stretching her arms and exhaling deeply. "….I'm surprised you haven't got such a stack of letters."

"I'm sorry?" Corrin tilted his head. Flora stared back at him, tilting her head.

"You know….letters from admirers? I'm surprised you hardly have any. I mean, aside your obvious qualities….you're a prince, a war hero, brother to the Kings of Hoshido and Nohr and personal friends with the Dukes of Izumo and Kohga. You'd expect more women to throw themselves at you."

"Heh, perhaps they think I'm taken. I do live in a palace with a highly attractive princess with those exact same credentials."

"Well, why don't you clarify that? I say this just in case you and Azura don't work out."

Corrin looked thoughtful for a few moments, tapping his chin before nodding slowly.

"Well, maybe I don't want some stranger to court me. I might be waiting for the right person, and they might be a friend of mine. I like the unexpected."

The maid nodded in agreement, fully understanding. "That's fair, I'll give you that-"

A loud _bang_ crackled through the sky, followed by a long whistle, as Flora and Corrin immediately snapped their gazes to the source of the noise.

In the clear Hoshidan night sky was a giant plume of flame, rapidly expanding from where the firecracker had unleashed it, red, yellow and orange dots flying outwards in a synchronised manner forming the shape of an elegant, blooming flower standing out in the blackened sky, petals unfurling into an elegant pattern in the night sky. It hung there for a few moments, twinkling like stars in the sky before fading out into ashes as the flares fizzled out.

Flora's eyes almost lit up as bright as the fireworks themselves, such was her excitement. "Are those the fireworks?"

"Yes. Those are the fireworks. They're beautiful, aren't they?"

"….yes," the maid nodded slowly, smiling like a child seeing snow for the first time. "They are. I heard they were beautiful, but…I wasn't told they were like _this_. I know that usually, things are always said to look better than they actually do, but….not this time."

"I thought it was overblown too," the prince confessed, chuckling. "…not this time. No wonder everyone knows about this festival."

"I suppose I'm not used to this," Flora admitted. "You'd never see this in Nohr."  
"No. No you wouldn't."

Flora laughed a little, before sliding up a little closer to Corrin's side, almost leaning on him.

The night carried on. More and more fireworks exploded like vivid paint on a black canvas, with the cheers of the Hoshidan crowd erupting from the market below. Fantastical shapes of serpentine dragons with regal crowns, undulating ornate spirals of gold and white, and the simple, but beautiful Hoshidan _sakura_ flower, bloomed and grew into the sky. Hoshidan firework makers were master artisans in their field, and it showed.

Corrin smiled as the Nohrian rose was displayed in the sky alongside the Hoshidan _sakura_ flower; a pre-emptive show of unity. Cheers erupted, louder this time; the Nohrians were cheering with their Hoshidan counterparts, elated at their brothers and sisters acknowledging them.

"I wonder who arranged that one," Corrin mused to Flora. The maid didn't respond. The prince frowned slightly.

"Flora? What's wrong-"  
His inquiry was interrupted as he saw immediately what was wrong.

Flora had fallen asleep, resting her head on his shoulder, her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling as she breathed softly. The emotional and physical exhaustion had tired her out, and the maid had decided to rest for a moment.

Corrin smiled sweetly. He tried not to move too much- only to keep her elbow from jutting into his side- but that was it. The prince didn't want to disturb her.

Her face was peaceful, a slight smile on it that he'd never seen before. He'd seen her smile, true, but it was usually out of amusement, or gratitude.

This was a smile of contentment and peace. The kind that Corrin rarely saw.

This was what Corrin had been trying to attain for her. This rare thing, this moment of peace for Flora. This was it.

'… _I'm….a little creepy for watching her sleep, aren't I?'_ the prince chided himself. _'….wait until Azura hears about this. Corrin, being all sentimental about things. I'd never hear the end of it. Still…..Flora really does look beautiful, just like this. She's….I don't know. It feels nice ,seeing her like this. It's as if her contentment's almost…..infectious.'_

Flora's eyes fluttered open, the maid wiping them slightly as she looked at Corrin, staring him in the face.

"Wuh….oh. Sorry, Corrin," the maid apologised softly, her cheeks a little red as she began to lift her head "I didn't mean to fall asleep on you. Is the firework display over?"  
"No, not yet," the prince replied. "And it's okay. You can sleep a little longer. I don't mind."

She flashed a grateful smile, exhaling as she closed her eyes again and resumed resting her head on Corrin's shoulder. "Thank you. This….feels nice."

"Get some rest. I'll be here when you wake up."

' _And…..yeah. It feels nice, just…being like this,'_ Corrin admitted to himself quietly. _'…..I feel like this could last forever.'_

* * *

The night went on, and the fireworks finished with a final massive display of a series of increasingly elaborate patterns, swirling and spinning in the sky, closing to the rapturous applause of the audience below.

It was an impressive turnout. It seemed as if everyone from Nohr to Mokushu to Cheve had shown up, with the amount of people present in Shirasagi. Tonight, if the intention had been to unite the world in one awe-inspiring display, this could be counted as an unmitigated success.

Flora and Corrin strolled towards the palace to return home through the portal.

"You had a good night?" the prince inquired to his partner. She nodded once.

"I can't say this enough, but thank you," Flora answered gratefully. "I can say this however many times and I don't think I'd ever be able to thank you."

"Oh, we can do this again, if you like. I hear there's another festival coming along-"  
"No, I mean…..for being here for me. For being my friend, Corrin. For being _you_. Thank you. It really does mean a lot to me."

Something about that made Corrin turn towards Flora. Maybe it was the grateful, almost longing tone to her voice. Maybe it was her kind words. Maybe it was something deeper.

Whatever it was, it was enough to make Corrin meet Flora's gaze with his own.

Grey eyes met red ones, as the maid and prince gazed into each other's faces. The moment hung in the air, thick enough to cut through with a blunt knife. They seemed to hold their gaze for an eternity, encapsulated in one moment. A strange feeling ran through the couple as they did. It was something incomprehensible, something weird but not entirely unpleasant.

Flora was the first to turn away, holding a hand to her suddenly burning cheek and shaking her head. "A-ah. I'm sorry for s-staring…."

"N-no, I am," Corrin turned away next, his cheeks a little red and his voice slurred as if he hadn't fully comprehended what had happened. "Ah. That was…..awkward, wasn't it."

"N-no, not really," the maid admitted, laughing nervously and looking a little shocked, as if she couldn't believe what she said. "…..w-we should probably get going. I want to get something nice for Felicia, s-so you go on ahead. I'll see you tomorrow, Corrin."

Flora scurried away, leaving Corrin alone to ponder. He looked dumbfounded and dazed, as if he'd come out from a trance.

' _What was that feeling?'_ the prince wondered to himself. _'…that was…..weird. Surely Flora can't be…no. Of course not. I'm overthinking things. Right?'_

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

Corrin almost jumped as Azura showed up, smiling. The prince sighed.

"Ah. Azura. How was your night?"

"I'd like to ask you the same question, considering you look lovestruck" the songstress ribbed him. "A little bird told me you and Flora spent the whole night alone. Anything happen?"

"It was Elise, wasn't it?"  
"It was Elise."

The prince exhaled, somewhat exasperated. Their situation had been engineered by his little sister. Perhaps she was less innocent than he gave her credit for.

That was a matter for later, of course. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"….I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," he gently teased Azura. The songstress rolled her eyes.

"Fine. But you'd better tell me what happened. I want to know, okay?"

"It's a long story. Clear your schedule. We might have to make a lunchtime out of it."

* * *

 **END OF ACT 1**

* * *

 **A/N: Whew. Long two-parter, amirite?**

 **Anyway, I've divided the first half of Corrin Reacts into four Acts- just like in the various routes of Katawa Shoujo (a brilliant visual novel, if you haven't read it, it's free for download off their website), and we've reached the end of Act 1 of the first half. Hence the ending to this one being not like the usual endings.**

 **So next chapter won't be a usual reacting chapter, but a series of three vignettes; one about Flora and that ravine incident I keep referencing, one about Scarlet and Ryoma and one about a surprise that you won't be expecting! Maybe. This will also happen at the end of Act 4, to give me a break from writing the plot. I really hope that these vignettes explain a little bit more about some things in this story. After all, there's quite a few things I do that won't have relevance for quite a while.**

 **Also, I've been thinking of writing a short series of sidestories about characters who I really like and feel need a story told, but don't have time for them in the main story of Corrin Reacts, like Charlotte and Orochi. This would be called Corrin Reacts Gaiden (hardi-har-har), and it'd be all about the characters in the Reactsverse who I feel need some love. Please, tell me what you guys think about this story idea in your comments. This idea really has been following me for a while and I want to see what you guys think of it.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, reviews, thoughts and suggestions, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	21. Corrin Reacts to Side Stories!

**Corrin Reacts to Side Stories!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Well, seeing as we just had probably one of the more emotionally heavy chapters of the fic thus far, I feel like this is the time to tell some stories that need to be told. Most of them will…..pretty honestly probably be as equally emotionally heavy, but they're quite essential to how stuff will play out in the rest of the story and so I feel telling them while we can right now will make it a whole lot easier on us later. Anyway! Game's afoot, life needs to get going and chapters need to get started!**

 **Also, remember when I said that this was an alternate universe fic, albeit with ties to canon? Yes, please keep that in mind when you read this chapter. Keep in mind that quite a few of these stories are not at all canon except in regards to the Reactsverse.**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise we would have a Mongolian-themed faction one day. (I think there is, so if there is, please correct me!)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

 _That Day in the Ravine_

 _This story takes place years ago, during Corrin's imprisonment-cum-residence in the Northern Fortress of Nohr. This is not a full recollection of events, but a small recollection of the incidents that are relevant._

….

"Flora, come on!"  
"No."

"Come on, Flora! We can't sit here! Lord Corrin's going to be disappointed!"

"Then let him be."

Felicia frowned at her sister, sighing. She dusted off her own maid uniform, shaking her head at Flora. The two girls were standing by a window staring out into the cold wastes of northern Nohr. The snow fell heavily outside the fortress, blanketing the dead trees and the barren rocks in the sterile white. In the distance were grey, craggy mountains, caked with ice and pouring with endless snow, ringed with dismal grey clouds that seemed almost to extend from the summits. The feet of the mountains were shielded from sight by a ring of black, deadened trees, standing sentinel over forsaken wasteland. Flora and Felicia knew that their homeland lay past those mountains- the frozen home of the Ice Tribe, with homes carved from ice, snow and wood.

"Fine," Felicia exhaled, defeated. "I s-suppose I can't make you. A-are you sure you're fine?"  
"I am fine. _Go_."

The pink-haired girl looked away at Flora's sudden harsh tone, before scampering away and leaving her sister alone to ponder at the window.

Kilma, their father and the chieftain of the Tribe, had left the two sisters here almost a week ago. He said that they were to be left to train themselves in etiquette and work under the careful eye of Nohrian royalty, something which the clumsy Felicia jumped at the chance at.

But Flora knew better. She was the older and smarter of the two and had long been savvy to the political machinery that ran the state of Nohr. She knew what had truly happened and why they were there; in reality, Kilma had been blackmailed by King Garon. In fairness to her father, Flora knew enough to realise that Kilma had no choice in the matter; the Nohrian king possessed a vast army capable of overrunning the Ice Tribe thrice over and more besides. He was concerned that the Tribe might rebel and so took the chieftain's daughters as prisoners- leverage to ensure that the Ice Tribe did not rebel against his tyranny.

Felicia had been kept in the dark- that much had been agreed on by Kilma and Flora. She knew her father favored her sister over her and desired to keep her safe from harm and worry. It was something Flora, though occasionally troubled, had largely made her peace with.

She knew why they were there. This did not mean she didn't resent her freedom being taken from her.

' _This is ridiculous,'_ Flora thought to herself, exhaling deeply as she traced the path her father had taken through the icy mountains with her eyes. She looked down at herself, currently dressed in the maid uniform that Garon's men had provided her; her old clothes had been burned against their protests. It was claimed it was to ward off plague, and anyway the new clothes would be better, but Flora knew otherwise.

' _I was born to be more than a mere maid to some arrogant Nohrian prince. Father shouldn't have had to give into Garon! Why doesn't he rebel?_ Why doesn't he tell Garon that he can take his men where they belong? To be forced to swear an oath of loyalty...I refuse to serve someone I don't even-"  
"S-sorry…I-I'll be on m-my way…"

Flora, incensed, whirled around to see a shaking, grey-haired boy, dressed in what appeared to be a butler's outfit, replete with vest. She saw a shattered plate on the floor, and a shaking silver tray in the boy's hands; this, she deduced, was likely the cause of the horrified expression currently clouding the boy's face. It was either that, or the suddenly cold breeze rushing through the room, an expression of Flora's mastery of ice.

Just another servant, then. She must've scared him; perhaps, in her anger, her thoughts had been vocalised. The blue-haired girl swept her hair aside, calming herself down with the cold breeze fading away with her temper. Flora exhaled deeply, gazing calmly at the boy.

"No. It's…..quite alright," she reassured him, reaching out to touch him, but the boy recoiled, still scared of her.

"I-I…..I was just walking t-through. I p-promise, I w-won't do that again…."

His eyes snapped to the broken plate on the floor in front of him. Flora realised immediately. She shook her head hastily.

" _No_ , I told you, it's alright. I'm not mad at _you_."

The boy's expression seemed to lighten, but traces of horror and shock were still palpable. He tried to muster a smile.

"T-thank you. P-Please…..d-don't tell L-Lord Corrin I dropped t-this plate…..h-he might get angry, a-and-"  
"I won't let him," Flora replied swiftly, before huffing. "Have you been forced to serve him too?"

The boy shook his head, before looking down and wiping a tear from his eye. "I-I….I…..I don't want to talk about it….."

Guilt washed over Flora's face. Perhaps she'd touched a nerve, touching upon something sensitive to the boy.

' _No…..I'm utterly worthless,'_ the blue-haired girl rebuked herself quietly. _'I had nothing against this boy and now he's crying because of me.'_

"Sorry…..I didn't know," she tried to reassure him, and this time the boy, after a spate of heavy breathing, met her gaze.

"It's okay. I…..I'll tell you, s-some other time. W-what's your name?"

"I'm Flora. And yours?"

"J-Jakob…..n-nice to m-meet you….", the grey-haired boy mustered a shaky smile, before bowing to her. "I-I have to go. I-If Gunter sees me slacking o-off, he'll tell me off again! I'll just clean this up quickly….."

Jakob scurried off to find a broom and dustpan, leaving Flora alone once more. She exhaled, looking out the window once more upon the frozen land.

"I wonder what kind of crime his parents committed, to push that poor boy into service," the maid muttered. "No matter. I refuse to treat this Corrin like my master. If my father and my sister won't rebel, then I will."

* * *

 _A few weeks later…._

"That's not good enough," Gunter brusquely chided Flora and Felicia, as he looked about the corridor they'd been cleaning. "You two need to keep a better eye on your handiwork."

Though the two girls had done a decent job of it, there were dusty places here and there, and a few stains still left in the carpet. Gunter had been training the pair to be good servants ever since their arrival a few weeks ago, taking in Flora, Felicia and Jakob, who was trying to learn to be less clumsy and more coordinated. However, for some reason, Corrin, the prince they'd been charged with serving, had yet to be seen around the fortress.

Felicia hastily bowed apologetically, shaking. "S-sorry! I-I didn't notice them!"

"That's not an excuse," the old knight calmly, but bluntly reminded her, looking down at the two primly. "You two are in the service of Lord Garon. His tolerance for failure is minimal. While I don't wish to scare you, I want to make sure that you two serve Lord Corrin to the best of your abilities, for your own sakes."

Flora breathed heavily, trying to calm herself. "It was a pair of stains that we'd forgotten. We'll do our best to clean it."

"A pair is not good enough, Flora. The floor must be spotless."

"And what good will it do anyone?" The blue-haired maid protested. "I haven't seen hide nor hair of Lord Corrin since I arrived. Why should I serve an absent master? I have no reason to."

Felicia stared at her, horrified. "F-Flora-"  
"No," Her sister would have none of it, bluntly and quietly backing away from her sister. "…..Felicia, if you wish to be loyal to Lord Corrin, then so be it. But I will _not_. I owe him _nothing_."

Flora stormed off, ignoring Felicia's attempts to reach out to her. "W-wait! Come back! Flora!"

She looked apologetically at Gunter. "S-sorry about my sister! I-I promise, I-I'll get her b-back-"  
"No," the knight sighed calmly, not even looking angered about Flora leaving. There was something incomprehensible in Gunter's expression, as if he and Flora shared in a secret that Felicia was unaware of. "…..I know. She…will calm down in her own time. Do not worry about it. I do not hold it against her. It is hard to learn to suppress your emotions, especially with one so young and with reason to be infuriated."

"What?" The pink-haired girl looked confused. "What's going on?"

"…never you mind. Just get back to cleaning."

…..

Flora stalked off towards the window she'd taken to gazing out of, breathing deeply.

In hindsight, it was unfair of her to have snapped at Gunter. Perhaps Gunter was just like her, forced to serve Corrin against his will. She didn't know, but it was certainly a fair conclusion; after all, who in their right mind would willingly follow the commands of a tyrant king like Garon? Gunter didn't seem like the type to do it voluntarily.

"I owe Corrin nothing," Flora uttered once more, full of venom for the unseen prince she was to be serving. "I may owe Gunter an apology, but I owe that boy _nothing_. I will make that clear. I should leave, flee back to the Ice Tribe. Maybe Father will pay attention then."

"…are you okay? You sound upset."  
It was a male voice Flora heard. Not Jakob's, but someone around his age. Perhaps another servant? The blue-haired maid turned around, staring at the newcomer.

He was tall, even for his age- perhaps standing a head taller than her. His ears were pointed, his eyes red and his hair a silvery-white, lending him an almost otherworldly air. His attire was clearly Nohrian, with the Nohrian emblem embossed onto his tunic, a pair of plain trousers covering his legs and his pale feet going bare.

At once, she knew who this boy had to be.

"…you must be Corrin," Flora uttered suspiciously, backing away from him. The boy's eyebrows arched, curious.

"…who are you? How do you know that name?"  
"I know you're supposed to be my master," the maid replied bluntly, turning away with a whiff of cold air that made the prince shiver. She tried to calm herself down despite her indignation. "…but that does not make me your servant."

"So you're the new servant Jakob was talking about," Corrin commented curiously, slowly approaching her. "It's….uh, nice to meet you! Jakob really likes you, so I was wondering if I could finally get to meet you. What's your name?"  
"Does it matter to you?"

"…..yes?" The prince seemed confused. "…why wouldn't it?"

Something about him made Flora think twice about snapping at him. Maybe it was the innocence of his expression, or the kind tone of his voice.

"…Flora," the blue-haired maid quietly answered. Corrin seemed to smile at that.

"Flora, huh? You must be Felicia's sister. That's…..that's a nice name," he remarked. "It's nice to meet you, Flora. I hope we can be friends!"

Flora glared at him as if he'd said something foolish. "…..what's that supposed to mean?"  
"I'm sorry?"  
"You don't have to be polite," the blue-haired maid brusquely ordered him. "You can get rid of the pleasantries. I know what you're really like. What you really think."

"I-I don't understand," Corrin stared confusedly at her, backing away. "What are you talking about? Flora, i-is everything-"

"I am your prisoner, and you are my captor, and nothing more. You don't need to be so polite."

Corrin at that looked completely lost. "Flora, I don't understand. Is-"  
"Of course you don't. You wouldn't be able to. Forget it."

The blue-haired maid stormed off, leaving an absolutely confused Corrin and a freezing wind in her wake. The boy seemed almost at the verge of tears.

"…..w-what did I…..d-did I do something wrong?" He futilely called out after Flora, who had already long since left. Gunter strolled in looking around the room to look for Flora.

"…..ah, Lord Corrin," the old knight looked down at the boy. "I suppose you're enjoying your first day of no longer being grounded?"

"…d-did I do something wrong to Flora?" Corrin inquired, confused. "I just…..she…."

"No, milord," he sighed. "I just think that there is something that troubles her. It is none of your business for now. Go back to your room."

* * *

 _Later that night….._

"Maybe I shouldn't have spoken to her," Corrin muttered, sitting alone on his bed in his cold, drab room atop one of the spires of the fortress. Only moonlight and the dim light of small candles around his room gave the room some warmth and illumination, the pale snow of the surrounding wastes lying as still as the grave outside his window.

The maid's anger at him had troubled him for hours and hours. For some reason, her words had stuck with him, despite having barely spoken to her for minutes. Maybe it was the fact that his only other friends in the world were Jakob and Felicia- both shy, kind people who were barely ever angry at him. Maybe it was the fact that the only anger he'd ever known was from Garon, the kind of anger which he always feared.

Whatever the case, Corrin had dwelt over it for hours.

"Maybe she thinks I did something bad….." The young prince concluded, his eyes lowered in guilt. "Maybe Jakob and Felicia can help me find out what…. Maybe I'll find out why she doesn't like me…"

He shook his head, running his hands through his hair. The prince exhaled deeply. He was about to speak again before the sounds of yelling and footsteps approached his door.

Curious, Corrin strolled towards the door, opening it a creak. "What's going….on."

His voice caught in his throat.

He saw a weeping Felicia, trembling as she sniffled and sobbed in front of a concerned Gunter. Neither of them was aware of the young prince's presence, as the old knight placed a hand on Felicia's shoulder to steady her.

"….a-and I can't find her!" Felicia choked out, trying to blink tears from her blue eyes. "S-she's nowhere to be found! W-we have to go look for h-her!"  
"Do not worry," Gunter spoke reassuringly. "I'm sure we'll find Flora. She cannot have gotten far."

Jakob appeared around the corner, breathing heavily, a terrified expression on his face. He shook his head.

"I-I can't find her. She must have found a window or some sort of escape route!"

"…as I thought she might," Gunter muttered, closing his eyes. "….very well. Jakob, Felicia, return to your beds."  
"W-what?" Felicia inquired, surprised. "I-I'm not leaving until I find Flora! S-she's my sister!"

"I refuse to l-leave until we can find Flora!" Jakob also stood his ground. Gunter made a stern noise of protest, crossing his arms.

"That is an order, the two of you. I have already prepared to go outside to search for Flora. We'll find her before morning. The gods know what will happen if I don't….."

Corrin looked horrified as he overheard the news. He may not have gone out very often, but Corrin knew enough to know that it would be hard, even for someone like Flora, to trudge into the cold unprotected and survive for too long. Felicia had told him stories of Ice Tribe members who thought their mastery over the cold was superior to nature itself, and were found dead, frozen husks of themselves, punished for their hubris.

' _I have to do something,'_ the young prince thought, determination building. _'Even if F-Flora hates me…..I-I can't let her die out there.'_

…

 _Outside….._

Flora shivered as she sprinted as fast as she could through the snow wastes, hurling herself as far away from the fortress as she could. The trees surrounded her now, their dead branches and black trunks helping to shield her from sight. Tears streamed from her eyes, shimmering in the pale moonlight that shone through the mountains and treetops.

She reckoned she had about half an hour before Gunter called together a party of horsemen to find her. By that point, she hoped, she'd be able to get to the mountains.

' _Then maybe I can hunt to get food,_ ' Flora thought to herself desperately. _'Father taught me how, I can do this without anyone else. I just need to survive a week. One week. Then I can get back home. I can tell Father that he needs to mount a rescue to get Felicia back and to rebel against Garon! I just need to get to the mountains before Gunter finds me…..'_

That's all she needed to do. Get back home. Get home safe. Father would listen to her, surely.

Maybe she could get Jakob and Felicia to join her. Gunter, maybe. Corrin, most certainly not. That prince could return to Windmire and Garon could certainly keep him.

It wasn't far, Flora knew, to the Ice Tribe from the fortress.

Unbeknownst to Flora, the mountains ahead of her were separated from the rest of the forest by a small ravine, carved into the ground by a small, but strong, river that ran from the mountains, carving a gorge into the foothills and pottering on for miles before widening up into a larger river that extended downwards towards Windmire. She didn't notice this particular land feature while Kilma was bringing her and her daughter to the fortress.

It was a mistake.

Flora was too busy occupying herself with thoughts of what to do when she got back that she ignored the ground ahead of her.

Nobody heard the echoes of her scream of shock, as the maid's foot met air and she tumbled down into the deep gorge.

Her last thoughts before losing consciousness were of intense terror, as the maid tumbled down the ravine, grazing and cutting herself with rough stone, before her head collided with a rock at the bottom, before the world went dark.

* * *

"…..Fl….st….th me…."

Flora's eyes slowly fluttered open to a white sky- hours must have passed since she lost consciousness. The first thing she could feel was a slight wetness on the side of her head and the faint smell of iron. She knew she was wounded; the dull throbbing in the side of her head told her as much. She couldn't feel the ground beneath her, for some reason. The second thing she could feel was that someone had wrapped a thick, cotton blanket around her, swaddling it around her like a mother to her child.

"…Flor…..ay wi…me…."

The maid's eyes were heavy-lidded with exhaustion and injury, but she managed to open them. Slowly, Flora looked down, to realise that she was being carried by someone wearing a thick furry coat. Their labored breathing was palpable; she could hear it and feel it, as she realised that she was being carried by her arms and legs, her front resting against her rescuer's back. The head of her rescuer had a mop of silvery-white hair, flecked with snow, blood and mud. His pointy ears were caked in frost, and the maid could feel him shiver despite his thick clothing, shivering against the harsh blizzard they were trudging through, the snow battering the pair as they fought their way back home.

' _Corrin. The prince. He…..he saved me..….'_

Flora tried to speak, but she was too weak, too injured, to muster up the power to talk. She could finally hear what he was saying, recovering enough from her exhaustion and pain, trying to push through the pain of her aching temple..

"Come on," the prince muttered, almost more to himself than her. "Stay with me, Flora, stay with me…I'll get you home, I promise. Gunter will get help, so please-!"

Somehow, someway, Corrin had snuck out from the fortress to find her. Flora, in her feverish state, could scarcely do anything but wonder through a haze of injury and cold.

' _Why…why did you come for me? You…..you could have left me there…..'_ the maid wondered in her mind. _'…..why did you…..save me?'_

Corrin trudged on, despite clearly beginning to succumb to the cold. He was beginning to slow down from the combination of carrying her weight and the effects of exposure. Nonetheless, however, he continued trying to push through.

' _Just….put me down and save yourself,'_ Flora thought. _'Please, Corrin, you….I'd rather die than come back. You don't need to die with me.'_

"Milord…." the maid requested in a strained, hoarse whisper. "I-if you…..get back, please tell Felicia….I-I'm sorry. Tell Father I'm….sorry."

A moment passed.

Then she added, "…..I'm sorry I said all those things to you."

Corrin didn't reply, before his right leg buckled, and the prince tumbled to the ground, unconscious. Flora's eyes widened as she tumbled to his side, seeing his frost-covered face, a peaceful smile on it as if he'd-

' _No. No. He isn't dead. Not yet.'_

The maid, fuelled by desperation and whatever else, managed to prop herself up on her knees, cringing as she felt the coldness of the snow on her pale knees. Trying to tolerate the pain, Flora turned Corrin over on his back, facing down at him.

"No," she croaked out, holding the back of her hand over his mouth to feel for the tell-tale warmth that would come with breath. Mercifully, though faint and ragged, she could feel it. She exhaled deeply, placing her hands over him.

' _I just have to do what Father taught me,'_ Flora reassured herself. _'I….I just have to do what the medicine men of our tribe did.'_

It was a well-known secret that the Ice Tribe possessed the power to control the internal temperatures of themselves and others through drawing out heat or cold from others into themselves. If done incorrectly, one could die doing it, which is why Kilma, before sending his daughters off, had told them he'd only teach them this technique when they were older- much older.

Flora didn't have the luxury of time. Corrin was dying in front of her, right now. She needed to work, and quickly.

Placing her hands over him, the maid shut her eyes tightly and placed her hands over Corrin, concentrating. She attempted to draw the cold out of his body.

"Come on," she forced out with a whisper. "Come on…..work….."

Then pain wracked her hands, as the cold flowed through her body. Flora bit her tongue to hold her mouth closed and keep a yelp of pain from escaping. The maid held on, trying to force out more of the cold from the prince.

His breathing grew less ragged at last, but Flora could take no more. Screaming in pain, the maid pulled her hands back as if knocked asunder by an invisible force, before falling across Corrin's unconscious body, her own mind rapidly fading from the waking world.

The last thing she saw were shadows running towards them, a flash of grey and pink across their heads.

* * *

"…..she's waking up. Thank the gods…."

"Good job, Jakob and Felicia. I knew you two would take good care of her. I made sure Garon wouldn't find out about this incident."

"O-oh, thank you, Gunter! F-Flora and Corrin won't get into trouble, r-right? You're not mad, r-right?"

"…..of course not. Now, you two keep quiet. Flora needs her rest. I must take my leave."

Flora's eyes fluttered open, barely seconds before two arms in black wrapped themselves around her and a pink blur fell on her chest. The blue-haired maid groaned, her vision slowly clearing to see a sobbing Felicia hugging her tightly. She was in a room- by the Nohrian emblem hanging of the wall on a banner, presumably back in the fortress- with three beds, one she'd never seen before. She looked around, seeing that she was in a bed with white sheets, her own-likely soiled and dirtied-maid uniform replaced with a white sleeping gown.

The first thing she noticed was that the throbbing at the side of her head was gone.

Felicia sniffled, looking up at her sister with bleary eyes. "I-I'm so glad y-you're okay! D-don't worry us like that, okay?!"  
"H-how…." Flora croaked out, moving a strand of light-blue hair from her eyes. "…..h-how long have I….."  
"Three days, Flora," Jakob calmly explained, sitting across the bed from Felicia, a smile on his face. "Felicia and I found you and Lord Corrin unconscious, ten minutes from the fortress. Your head was bandaged, and your wound was closed. He must've cleaned it and covered it, so we didn't have to do too much there."

"Y-you were lucky to be a-alive!" Felicia exclaimed, hugging her sister tightly and squeaking, Flora returning the gesture by hugging her sister weakly with her arm.

"C…Corrin!" Flora's eyes widened, looking around hurriedly. "W-where is he? Is he okay?"

Her eyes set themselves upon Corrin's unconscious form on the next bed over, his eyes squeezed shut and his chest rising and falling gently as he breathed. Flora felt a sense of relief, but somehow her dread had not been completely quelled.

"H-he's fine," Felicia reassured her sister. "J-Jakob made sure of that."

"I stayed up day and night to make sure Lord Corrin was alive!" The butler stated proudly. "Felicia did a….surprisingly good job of taking care of you. Of course, I must thank you for helping keep him alive- I doubt that, without whatever you did to him out there, he would be alive right now."

Flora sank back into her bed, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank the gods...I saved him."

"And don't you dare worry us like that again!" Jakob primly chided her. "You two could've died in that blizzard. It was a miracle Lord Corrin found you so quickly!"

"W-what do you mean?" Flora stared at him, confused.

"You were out there for three hours," the butler replied matter-of-factly. "As far as we know, Lord Corrin left the palace ten minutes after you did."

"H-he….he went out to find me himself?" the blue-haired maid was simply stunned.

Tears welled in her eyes after a moment, and poured out moments afterward. She was horrified at what she'd done, horrified at what she'd brought about.

"E-eh?" Felicia looked confused. "Flora? Why are you-"

"I-I'm sorry….I was so selfish…." the blue-haired girl choked out, sniffling. "I….I shouldn't have run…..t-then Lord Corrin wouldn't have-"

"….d-don't worry about it."

Flora's eyes flitted towards Corrin, who was weakly sitting up, a fragile smile on his drained face.

"B-but Lord Corrin, y-you-"

"D-don't call me Lord," the prince requested. "Just….Corrin. And…..I saved you, d-didn't I? That….makes it worth it."

The maid was stunned. _'How…..how can someone be so….kind? I….I haven't done a thing for him, except to keep him alive….'_

"B-but I…..I'm worthless to you."

"I don't care…." Corrin reassured her. "A-as long as we're friends…..I won't ever leave you behind. I-I'd do that again i-if I had to."

"Please don't," Jakob drily remarked. "I regret to inform you that we don't have the winter attire to brave the blizzards outside again."

"J-Jakob!" Felicia cried, protesting.

"No….that's quite alright," Corrin weakly laughed at Jakob's remark. "….are y-you okay, at least, Flora?"

"….yes," the maid nodded, at last flashing Corrin a smile. "Friend. I…..I like that."

'… _I was wrong about Corrin,_ ' Flora admitted quietly. _'…he's nothing like I thought he was. I….I rejected him and he still….'_

"B-but….I don't deserve that," she added, looking away guiltily, sobbing. "I don't deserve to be your friend!"

Corrin looked confused.

"Why?"

"I….I ran away! I yelled at you! I hurt you! I wanted to break my oath of loyalty! How….how can you still call me 'friend' after that?"

Several quiet moments passed, as Felicia and Jakob stared at the pair in silence.

Flora's eyes were filled with tears, her chest heaving with anguish.

' _I've done it now,'_ she thought. _'Corrin will surely reject me.'_

Then her eyes widened, as Corrin's soft laughter filled the room, breaking the silence.

"H-huh?"

"Flora," the prince answered. "…I don't care if you did all that. I….I don't remember who said taught me this…..but I once heard that an enemy is….a friend who just doesn't know it yet. Even if you yelled at me, even if you think you hurt me…..I'll always be your friend, Flora. Me, Felicia, Jakob, even Gunter- we'll always be here for you.

It's just that simple."

"As foolish as your actions were, I have to agree," Jakob nodded curtly, his gaze lingering on Flora a bit longer than necessary. "…you can count me as your friend, if Lord Corrin shall too. Besides…..you and Lord Corrin are the first friends I ever had."

"H-he's right!" Felicia smiled despite her tears. "Y-you and I, we're sisters. You may be the o-older one…..b-but that doesn't mean I won't p-protect you when you need it. Also, w-wait a second? Where am I in t-that?!"

Flora giggled, in spite of her feelings.

For the first time in a while, she felt light, as if a weight had been taken off of her.

' _Maybe….'_ the maid wistfully mused to herself. _'….maybe this fortress won't be so bad after all.'_

….

 _The Present Day_

"Wow…." Azura chuckled, smirking. "I can't believe something like that happened to Flora and Corrin.

"U-um…..yeah!" Felicia giggled, in a light mood after sharing that story. "So, n-now you believe me when I say Corrin and Flora have gone w-way back?"

"I always believed you, silly girl," the songstress winked. Felicia stared at her in shock.

"W-what?! Then w-why did I have to tell that s-story?!"

"So I can get some nice gossip on dear Corrin, of course~" Azura answered. "After all, he knows all about how my life went in Hoshido. It's hardly fair I don't know what happened in Nohr, hm? And that explains that stunt Flora pulled with Camilla back in the port."

"Y-yeah…..s-she'd kill me if I told y-you that t-this is why _that_ happened…." Felicia's cheeks went beet-red. "D-d-don't tell Flora I-I told you about this…."

"Hm. Of course," the songstress promised. "Your secret's safe with me."

* * *

 _Vigil_

 _This story takes place during Corrin's campaign in Valla, as Corrin makes the first incursion into the Invisible Kingdom with the aid of Ryoma and Xander's armies._

"Corrin, watch out!"

Scarlet's voice rang out through the canyon, as the mysterious invisible figure that was attacking them caught aflame, with searing purple fire surrounding them.

Corrin had no time. Scarlet had pushed him out of the way while he was still stunned by the last attack.

' _Scarlet!'_ Corrin wanted to cry. _'No!'_

The mysterious attacker seemed to hesitate, suddenly. Corrin could feel as if their gaze was on him, for whatever reason, for all of a second or two.

For a second, it seemed as if the mysterious figure was _thinking_ about something.

Then they released a blast of flames, Scarlet's eyes widening as the almost-certainly fatal blast of magic was hurled at them-

….

"Scarlet!" Corrin shook the unconscious wyvern knight as she lay unmoving on the ground of Valla. She lay almost perfectly still, her left side smoking from the blast of magic that had struck her. The flower that she had pinned on her chest had burned up from the flames. Her face was curled up in pain, indicative of her last moments.

"No, this can't be….." the prince uttered, continuing to futilely shake her. "Scarlet! Answer me, dammit! _Scarlet_! You can't _die_ now! Get up!"

He felt tears well up in his eyes as he punched the ground with a clenched fist.

Scarlet was dead. Not injured. Not sleeping. Not unconscious. _Dead_.

And she'd died trying to protect him.

"Oh, gods," the prince uttered quietly, trying to muster his composure, as he heard the footsteps of soldiers approaching, and saw the telltale flames surrounding Vallite soldiers approach. "…..how am I going to tell Ryoma?"

"You don't need to."

Corrin scarcely had a moment to respond before Ryoma sped past him, Raijinito shimmering in the light of the Vallite sun and sparking with deadly lightning.

Within seconds, two Vallite snipers lay dead in front of Corrin, their blood splattering the ground as Ryoma flicked their blood off of his sword. A cold, murderous glint shone from his eye as he turned to Corrin, his eye lingering on Scarlet's prone form. He turned to Corrin, and his anguished tone spoke volumes more than he could ever say.

"Stay here with her. I'll take care of them."

'… _no. None of the Vallites will survive,_ ' the swordsmaster thought to himself. _'I refuse to let them.'_

"W-wait!" Corrin reached out after Ryoma, but his older brother had already sped off into the mass of invisible soldiers, sword and wielder twirling through the mass in a fatal, deadly dance. Several Vallite soldiers approached Scarlet's corpse, but Corrin saw their tell-tale flames from the corner of his eyes.

"No! Get away from her!" The prince roared, as he drew Yato and cut them one down instantly with a beheading cut, slamming his foot into the other to kick them back. The remaining Vallite said nothing, flickering into sight briefly to reveal the undead pallor that was characteristic of all the soldiers of the Invisible Kingdom. The remaining Vallite attempted to charge at Corrin, but the prince was prepared. He yanked his Fimbulvetr tome from his side before blasting the soldier with a burst of freezing wind, throwing them off of the island they were on into endless void.

Corrin stood guard at Scarlet's body, Yato passing between his hands anxiously as he looked out for any other Vallites. It was not long- Corrin estimated that not ten minutes had passed- before Ryoma had returned, just as the rest of the army had arrived, Xander leading the rest.

"Corrin, thank the gods!" The Nohrian prince sighed in relief, sitting atop his horse. "We thought you'd been…."

His relieved smile faded as he saw the grim look on Ryoma and Corrin's faces and the wyvern knight's unmoving body. Elise immediately fell to her side, looking Scarlet over. Sakura's eyes were ripe with fear.

"W-what happened?", the young Hoshidan princess inquired shakily.

"We were ambushed," Corrin explained, trembling. "I-I would've died, b-but Scarlet-!"

"They got away," Ryoma almost growled, forcefully sheathing Raijinto as he approached the group. "I killed as many as I could, but their ringleader retreated before I could…."

He breathed deeply, strolling over to Scarlet's body and kneeling by it, raising her head with his hand almost tenderly, a thumb on her cheek.

Ryoma and Scarlet had been close while she was alive. The wyvern knight was a freewheeling spirit, and the prince an uptight, calm man of honor, yet they had made fast friends. It helped that they had the same cause; to overthrow Garon himself and free Cheve from his tyranny. It helped even more that, even beyond that, Ryoma had taken a liking to Scarlet- and everyone noticed, considering that outside of either Corrin, Xander or the Hoshidan royals, Scarlet was the person he spent the most time with.

So it was obvious to everyone present that Ryoma was not taking her death well.

Elise placed a mirror over Scarlet's mouth to check if she was still breathing.

"…Corrin…swear to me," the swordmaster uttered under his breath as he continued gazing at Scarlet, clearly trembling as if he was struggling to keep his own composure. "Swear to me, that you will _not_ let her sacrifice be in-"  
"She's still alive!" Elise suddenly exclaimed in shock, falling backwards as faint breath fogged up the mirror in her hand. "S-Scarlet! She's still….."

Corrin's eyes widened in surprise and elation. "W-what?! She's…. _alive_?!"

Ryoma immediately grabbed the mirror from Elise's hand, putting it to Scarlet's mouth to see if what she was saying what was true. Indeed, though it was faint, one, then two breaths fogged up the glass. Elise was right; Scarlet, through luck or through intention, had yet to pass from this mortal coil.

He immediately turned to Sakura and Elise, his face betraying nothing but his eyes, welling with tears, telling all. "Heal her! _Now_! Hurry! And bring a stretcher! We have to get her back to camp quickly!"

"A-alright!" Sakura ran forwards, spurred by the desperate tone in her brother's voice. "Elise, c-come on! We can still save her!"

"Right!" Elise nodded, pulling herself to her feet before shoving her older brother aside. "Move, Corrin! I need space!"

* * *

The effort to save Scarlet's life was tremendous. Azama, Corrin's servants and the other healers in the army- even Shura, the adventurer who until then had kept to himself- had piled in with their staves. Orochi and Hayato worked on potions as fast as they could, their alchemical knowledge serving them well as they raced to work on mixtures that would heal Scarlet from her state of near-death.

Ultimately, however, at the end of it all, it was all on the wyvern knight's body to heal herself. The magic that had struck her was strong; even Nyx was stunned by how strong it was. She had remarked that had whoever had assaulted Corrin and Scarlet in the canyon hit Scarlet dead on, they would not be healing a person, but mourning a corpse.

Ryoma had been around the whole time, keeping a watchful eye on Scarlet, barely masking his own anxiety.

"I'm sorry, milord," Azama assured Ryoma, the monk's eternal smile unwavering even now. "But we've tried what we can. If she lives, then you can thank the gods. If she doesn't, then we can't do anything else. That's life."

"Are you _sure_ that's all?"

"That's all," the monk nodded. "Now, don't make a racket. She needs her rest. Anything could change, after all."

Ryoma resisted the urge to punch Azama in the face. He could hardly punch the man who had helped save Scarlet, after all- and on most days, he wanted to punch him in the face anyway. Still, the temptation was highest today.

He breathed deeply, sighing. "…..as you wish."

Azama's smile widened. "Now, if you excuse me, milord, I must get some rest. And…..you too. It'll do you no good to worry about her all night."

A pause.

Then he added, "Scarlet would hate it if you worried about her this much."

Ryoma didn't respond. Azama shrugged, as if to say "No skin off my back", and strolled out of the infirmary tent, leaving Ryoma alone.

He sat down on a chair placed next to Scarlet's bed. The wyvern knight, normally vivacious and free-wheeling, looked fragile and weak. Her damaged armor had been stripped off for reforging at the hands of Niles, and she was currently in a white sleeping gown. Her face, though no longer as pained as it was, still looked troubled, bad dreams flitting beneath her eyelids. She lay almost limp, save for her quiet, ragged breathing- if Ryoma didn't know better, he would've thought her dead.

He sighed, closing his eyes as he sat by her side. "Scarlet, I….."

Ryoma stopped. He breathed in deeply.

"Scarlet, I….I don't know if I said this before," the Hoshidan prince admitted. "…but…..perhaps I should apologise. Perhaps the old proverb, that we never appreciate what we have until it's gone is appropriate, but…..I regret not getting to know you better while I could."

A weight felt lifted off Ryoma, though the words reached deaf ears. Exhaling, the prince continued.

"I know that I may seem uptight, and that I never seem to appreciate your sense of decoration, or your freewheeling nature. But…..I do. Someone like you is rare, and I, perhaps, was foolish enough to take you for granted," the swordsmaster almost sobbed, as he felt one tear roll down his cheek. "Nobody would ever talk to me as you do, and nobody treats me as you do- as an equal. Nobody treats me like that. Not Takumi. Not Corrin. Not my retainers. And…I need someone who can ignore all that I am. That I am the Prince of Hoshido. That I am an older brother. That others hold me above themselves.

I need someone who sees me as nothing more than an equal. Who will stand by me as a partner. Someone who I can truly imagine spending my life with."

He clasped Scarlet's hand tightly, gazing tenderly at her.

"Scarlet…..I need you. I need you to come back. Please."

Ryoma never noticed Corrin's eyes peering at the scene he had created, the younger prince hiding just outside the tent.

* * *

 _The next morning…._

Ryoma woke with a start. He had fallen asleep at Scarlet's side, after hours and hours of standing vigil over her. He remembered that the sun had begun to rise, before sleep took over him and forced him to rest.

"Hey, sleepyhead. Don't squeeze so tight. You're crushing my hand."

Ryoma pulled his hand away from Scarlet's, turning towards her. The wyvern knight had woken up, a faint grin on her face. She was still weak from injury, but she was making her best attempt to hide her weakness.

"Scarlet," the swordsmaster uttered in relief. "You're…..okay."

"I've…had worse," Scarlet commented blithely. "My side hurts…..and what are you doing here, anyway? Don't tell me you sat here all night watching over me. That's probably going to make your hair look even more crazy."

"That's…." Ryoma paused, his cheeks a little red from embarrassment- a rare event on the level of a blue moon, a solar eclipse and Azama opening his eyes. Scarlet's grin widened.

"Oh. So you're a sappy one. Did you at least get 'em for me? The person who put me here?"

"No," Ryoma shook his head. "I tried, but…..more soldiers showed up."

Scarlet groaned in irritation. "Damn. I must've missed a good fight. You probably kicked all their asses."

Ryoma had to resist the urge to chuckle at her coarse mouth. Instead, he smiled. "I….yes. You could say that."

"Good," Scarlet replied, sighing and leaning back in place. "Now…...do you know when I can get out of bed? I'd rather not sit here while you guys go out and fight."

"Azama said you'd probably be there for a few days, while your body recovers. You were almost dead."

"Just, I dunno, drag me up there, tie me to my wyvern and tie my lance to my arm," Scarlet suggested almost desperately. Ryoma sighed.

"We can't do that. You need your rest. And….I shall ensure that you are-"

"And don't you _dare_ sit here. As much as I like having you around," the wyvern knight grinned. "You should go out and kick some ass for me. I'll be here when you come back. I promise. Don't stop being cool for my sake."

"…I'll keep that in mind," Ryoma promised. "I'm….just glad you're alive."

"Of course you are," the wyvern knight cheekily remarked. "Is there anyone who isn't?"

The Hoshidan prince laughed.

'… _thank you, Scarlet,'_ he wanted to say. _'Thank you…..for being you.'_

* * *

 _What Happened With Everyone Else During The Festival_

 _Kaze and Felicia_

"Wow….." Felicia looked around Shirasagi's marketplace, her eyes sparkling with wonder at all the knick-knacks and food to be bought in the market. "….I've been here m-many times, but….it's never b-been like this before!"

Kaze nodded in agreement, smiling. "You're right, it hasn't. A lot of people only open up during festival days. They'll draw enough money in to keep them for the rest of the year."

"Really?" the maid looked shocked. "…you must get a lot of visitors!"

"There were many before Garon began making moves against Hoshido," the ninja explained, his brow furrowing as he tried to remember. "Many people stopped coming here. They were scared that war would break out any minute. It's only now that they've started coming back. And all the better- the city doesn't look right if it isn't full during the Festival of the Stars."

Felicia nodded slowly, still in awe. "I….guess y-you've been to quite a few."

"Barring the year we spent fighting in….Valla," Kaze spoke, forgetting that the curse upon the name of the Invisible Kingdom had died with Anankos for a moment. "….I have attended every year."

"So this isn't new for you, h-huh," the maid looked a little disappointed. Kaze noticed it, smiling.

"Don't worry. It's always a new experience to have a partner to come with."

At that, Felicia's eyes lit up. "You….y-you mean you never came with anyone?"

"I had…..many admirers," the green-haired man admitted, chuckling. "But…..I felt none of them were the right partner to attend with."

"E-eh!?" the pinkette's cheeks turned red. "R-right partner? W-what do you mean?"

"Someone who I'd genuinely enjoy being with," Kaze confessed, smiling tenderly at her.

"D-don't make jokes!"

"I'm not joking," he replied. "Is it so unbelievable that I'd like being around you? We've been friends for a long while."

Felicia looked down, playing with her fingers. "I-I….well….I mean, I'm clumsy, a-and I make m-mistakes a lot, and-"  
"Don't worry about all that. Tonight, it's just you and me," Kaze reassured her, pulling her closer. Felicia squeaked at his touch, but didn't pull away. "…Of course, I should have probably told you that the people who someone invites to this festival are usually someone the person loves."

The maid almost fainted at that. "W-what?! W-w-why didn't you s-say that?!"

Kaze simply smiled, closing his eyes. "Perhaps we should go find something to eat. The fireworks are starting soon."  
"D-don't just ignore my question like t-that!"

"I can't resist," the ninja confessed, smiling. "Corrin's rubbing off on me. Don't worry about it."

He paused for a moment.

"…still, if we were lovers…I don't think I'd mind terribly."

Felicia blushed immensely. "I…..t-thanks, K-Kaze. I…..I don't think….I-I'd mind either." She mustered a smile despite the clear elation she felt at that.

Kaze breathed in deeply. "Now, Felicia. Dinner? My treat."

"Y-yes please!"

* * *

 _Silas and Mozu_

"You won't see something like this back home," Mozu wondered at the spectacle she was witnessing, a stick of _ikayaki_ in her hand with a bite taken out of the squid tentacle. "Even my village never had stuff like this. We had one of those small fetes around harvest time, but…."

"You're telling me," Silas laughed. The two of them were dressed in normal clothes; Silas didn't own a _yukata_ and Mozu found the things too difficult to wear. "I've never seen anything this big before."

Mozu stared at him, surprised. "You haven't? A city boy like you, never seen anything like this?"

"Windmire wasn't exactly as open to this kind of thing," the cavalier replied, shrugging. "Not that I'm complaining. It's home, after all, and it's got its charm."

The villager chuckled, sighing in relief; she wasn't the only one new to all this. "I was worried, you know. Just little old me, lost in the big city with only you for company in the middle of a big festival…."

"Well, you'll be pleased to know I know almost nothing about Shirasagi," Silas cheerfully declared. "You're not alone. By the way, is the _ikayaki_ good?"

"Yeah!" Mozu nodded affirmatively. "I never thought I'd have something fancy like squid someday, but….it's really good! A little rubbery, but good."

"Aren't you the budding food critic?" Silas gently ribbed her. Mozu crossed her arms, rolling her eyes.

"The pot calling the kettle black! You were complaining about the _yakitori_ being burned!"

"It was burned!"

Mozu snorted. "It was perfectly good. Your palette's just used to fancy city food!"

"That _was_ fancy city food."

"I could make chicken like that any day," the villager retorted, before smirking. "Now, you, you nearly poisoned Corrin with soup."

"In my defence, I tried my best!" Silas protested suddenly. Mozu smiled triumphantly.

"Maybe I should teach you how to cook. Your parents may have taught you how to cook fancily, but I'll teach you how to do it _properly_."

The cavalier chuckled. "Well, that wouldn't be such a bad idea. I mean, you _are_ good at cooking. Maybe you'd make better _yakitori_ too."

"Maybe?" The villager raised an eyebrow, before chuckling. "….try definitely."

"Well, aren't we confident?" Silas teased her, smiling. "Still…..it's a nice night tonight, huh?"

Mozu nodded in agreement. "Well, yeah. It is. Perfect night for a festival, too."

"…you know, I do wonder how Partner's doing," the cavalier commented, frowning. "I haven't been around to Corrin's in a while."

The villager shrugged. "Corrin? I'm sure he's fine. He's probably with Azura right now, knowing those two. They're like birds of a feather."

"Probably," Silas snorted, chuckling. "Maybe we'll catch those two making out."

Mozu punched him in the arm, causing Silas to rub it. "Ow! What was that for?"  
"Don't be like that! Besides, it'd be weird if we walked in on those two."

Suddenly, in the clear Hoshidan night sky was a giant plume of flame, rapidly expanding from where the firecracker had unleashed it, red, yellow and orange dots flying outwards in a synchronised manner forming the shape of an elegant, blooming flower standing out in the blackened sky, petals unfurling into an elegant pattern in the night sky. The bang of the firework echoed throughout the plaza, as Mozu and Silas watched it unfold, stunned.

"Whoa…" the cavalier was temporarily speechless. "….that's….."

"We gotta get up on one of those roofs!" Mozu started dragging him by the arm. "Come on! We can't see it properly otherwise!"

"W-wuh? Hey! W-wait! Wait up!"

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, well, those were three nice bits of story. Or rather, two stories that went for far longer than I expected them to and a bit of stuff about what happened to the others during the Festival. Anyway, now that that's done, next chapter will be about…something. Maybe the scrapped Archenemies chapter. Or maybe something new.**

 **Anyway, so, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, suggestions, reviews and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	22. Corrin Reacts to Archnemeses, Part 1!

**Corrin Reacts to Archnemeses, Part 1!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Now, yes, this is the scrapped Archnemeses chapter that I had originally intended to write before the last act ended. Obviously, this has been massively changed, especially since the original chapter lacked quality, was intended as a one-parter when it ended up being a two-parter, and obviously didn't take into account the now-changed relationships between a few of our lovely characters. So, it's been rewritten- not much of it changed, but quite a bit. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this one!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise we've have more Benny-like characters. (Have I mentioned how much I love Benny? I need to write more Benny.)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

 **ACT 2**

 **BEGIN**

* * *

 _Grey eyes met red ones, as the maid and prince gazed into each other's faces. The moment hung in the air, thick enough to cut through with a blunt knife. They seemed to hold their gaze for an eternity, encapsulated in one moment. A strange feeling ran through the couple as they did. It was something incomprehensible, something weird but not entirely unpleasant._

 _Corrin couldn't quite put a finger on it, but there was something in Flora's expression that made him want feel something….odd. It was electrifying and warm, cold running up and down Corrin's spine. It was conflicting, deep-seated and small. Somehow, the prince knew that Flora was feeling the same way- perhaps it was something in her expression._

 _He didn't know what this feeling was, but it wasn't unpleasant._

 _And just like that, the feeling went away, as Flora tore her eyes away, her cheeks red with embarrassment. Somehow, Corrin found himself wanting….more. He couldn't figure out what this 'more' would entail, but…._

… _._

"Corrin? Corrin," Azura repeated, snapping her fingers. The prince blinked, snapped from his fugue.

"Wuuh?"  
"You've been staring like that for the last minute," the songstress remarked, calmly sipping a cup of tea. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were mesmerised by my stunning looks."

Corrin snorted bemusedly. "Please."

"Anyway," Azura swept a strand of blue hair from her face. "Tell me. What happened last night?"

"Huh?"  
"Between you and Flora. You two spent the night together, didn't you?" Azura replied, rolling her eyes. "Corrin, what's wrong with you today? You're usually sharper than this."

"….ah. Well, we found Flora at home crying."

Azura's eyes widened. "Seriously? Why?"  
"Jakob…..being Jakob, he probably didn't mean to, but his rejection might've been a little harsh," the prince sighed. "And I, well…invited Flora to come along."  
"Ah, so you're the rebound guy, as Laslow might say," the blue-haired lady teased him. Corrin scoffed.

"It was purely platonic."

"Oh, come on. Platonic? On the Festival of Stars? The festival, where you traditionally take a girl or boy you want to go out with, with the myth about a bunch of star-crossed lovers?" Azura prodded him. "Don't tell me you don't find Flora at least a _little_ attractive. I know I do."

"I do, but that's beside the point," Corrin clarified exasperatedly. "Nothing happened. We went out, had a good time, watched the fireworks together. What about you?"

Azura sighed. "Sadly, I think I scared off everyone. It's a shame, really. I dressed up for the occasion."

"Right, right," Corrin looked down, thinking carefully. "…..so, what do we do now? About Flora and Jakob?"

Azura tapped her chin thoughtfully. "…..it's obvious, isn't it?"  
"What?"  
"We need to find out why Jakob rejected Flora. That way, even if we can't get them together, at least we can know why. And the gods know that Jakob won't give us a straight answer if we ask."

Corrin nodded slowly. "How do you suggest we do that?"  
"Well, a little bird tells me that Jakob keeps a diary in his room," the songstress suggested, a mischievous smirk growing on her face. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I think I do, Azura. I think I do," the prince nodded slowly. "I'll need to grab Kaze and Mozu. Felicia might be useful for this, too. Meet me in my room in half an hour."

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Shirasagi Town,_

Kagerou closed her eyes, sipping tea and sitting down at her table, as Takumi and Saizou paced around the floor of her residence.

"You two are blowing this out of proportion," she calmly pointed out, brushing a stray strand of dark hair from her eye. "We have checked Corrin's home, we only caught him being sick in bed. He is not the prankster we're looking for."  
"He put my brother in _maid's clothes_!" Saizou retorted snappily. "What kind of honorless prank is that?"

"Kaze already explained where his other clothes went," Kagerou reminded him. "And unless you think Corrin is insane enough to make himself sick for a silly prank, I doubt he was faking."

Saizou stared at her. "Have you seriously not learned anything from our years of fighting as _ninja_ at the side of Lord Ryoma?"  
"I've learned enough about Corrin to know that he was most likely sick," his partner calmly replied.

Takumi sighed, closing his eyes. "Are we going after Corrin or not? I need to be somewhere. I don't want Oboro to go shopping alone again. You know how she got the last time I ditched her. You two can stop arguing like an old married couple anytime."  
"Married couple?" Kagerou and Saizou sputtered in unison, glaring at the prince. Takumi closed his eyes, sighing.

"Not like it wasn't obvious. Even Corrin could work it out," Takumi remarked. "I mean, when have you two _ever_ been apart? It's like you didn't even break up in the first place."

Saizou's one good eye narrowed. "Making up rumours isn't something a prince like you should be participating in."  
"Whatever, let's just get on with it already!" the archer snapped. "I want to know if Corrin really is this mysterious matchmaking prankster, so let's not delay."

The lone female of the group shook her head, sighing. "And here I am, wondering why it wasn't you two who dated. Fine, I'll accompany you to Corrin's residence. If nothing else, I should like to make sure you two don't scare Lady Elise or something. I doubt Corrin would be particularly happy if you did that."

Saizou flinched, just for a moment. Being the experienced ninja he was, he still knew that there were three kinds of people one did not mess with; a mother protecting her child, a scorned woman, and an angry Corrin.

"…..duly noted," the ninja in red replied with barely a hint of hesitation. "We should go, quickly. Corrin will have just woken up. He won't be ready for our attack."

"Ryoma would have both our heads if he heard about this," Kagerou groaned.

* * *

 _An hour later…._

"How in the name of all that is good did you manage to make _this_ happen?" Jakob remarked exasperatedly as he looked into the kitchen, blinking at the almost awe-inspiring mess Felicia had left behind.

The stove was on fire, there was some unspeakable stench emerging from the floor and brooms and mops lay on the floor like soldiers in the War on Dirt killed in a massacre. Grease was everywhere, and soap suds were in the air and sliding over the floor, their source an overturned bucket of soapy grey water. Standing amidst it all was a dirty, sopping wet and sheepish-looking Felicia.

"Ahah…..hehe…." The maid blinked, rubbing the back of her head and looking around innocently. Jakob looked even more exasperated. "D-don't laugh it off! What kind of monstrosity is this?! This kitchen looks like the aftermath of a storm!"

"I-I was trying to clean….." Felicia looked guiltily, trying to appear as cute as possible. While she was aware that it wouldn't work on him- an awareness born from many attempts- her innocent face was still enough to give Jakob pause for a moment.

But just a moment.

"….don't make such an innocent-looking face!" The butler snapped, after staring at it for a second. "Just get out and let me fix this!"

"B-but I'm sure I can-" Felicia offered, but to no avail. Jakob's face was firm, his irritation clear.

Hiding just past the kitchen door, Kaze held up a black contraption to his ear- Corrin called it a 'walkie-talkie', though how such gadgets from the Outrealms worked, Kaze never understood- tapping it briefly to test it.

"Does this work?" The green ninja wondered to himself briefly, before Corrin's voice sprang to life over the communications channel, crackly and fizzing.

"Yes, yes, it works," he replied. "Don't overuse this thing, I'll have to go all the way to the Outrealms to get replacement batteries to keep this thing working."

Kaze blinked, seemingly impressed. _'To think Outrealmers would come up with such miraculous technology_ ….' "Noted. Felicia's distraction is a success- as expected. Having her clean up my test attempt at making chicken soup worked. I do feel guilty about leaving her in like this."  
"Gods if I'm letting you cook for me ever," Corrin teased him, before clearing his throat. "How long do I have?"

"Fifteen minutes, I should say, if Felicia's mess is big enough and Jakob is as competent as ever," Kaze calculated after a moment of thought. "I'd assume less, if Jakob's fast about it."

….

Corrin wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, holding up the walkie-talkie to his ear as Kaze gave him the bad news.

"…..So…..ten minutes to get into his room, go through his diary to find things about the women he likes, and put everything back," the prince summed up, putting on a black cloak and donning one of the Hoshidan goblin masks he'd received as a gift from Azama to hide his face- just in case he was caught in Jakob's room, as there was no explaining it away if he wasn't masked. He swallowed deeply, taking in the information.

"….you can do it, right?" The ninja inquired concernedly over the communications channel. "Corrin, I would advise that you allow me to do it. I am trained in infiltration, after all-"

"No, no," Corrin reassured him. "Let's do this. Kaze, tell me when Jakob's on the way back up." Shutting off the walkie-talkie, Corrin put it away, standing up from his table and looking into his pouch of equipment, which he and Mozu had prepared.

"…..oh boy," the prince sighed, closing his eyes. "Shura, I hope some of your lessons sank in, wherever you are now."

Picking up the pouch and strapping it to his waist, Corrin exited his office, looking around just to ensure nobody was following him. He breathed in deeply.

'… _.you know, Azura would probably figure this out in three seconds,'_ the prince admitted quietly. _'But I'm not sure he'd give her a straight answer. So we'll have to do it the old-fashioned way. In…..nine minutes thirty seconds._ '

A pause.

' _No pressure. I've already scouted the room out. Maybe I can even pick up that love potion that I_ _ **think**_ _I dropped there….'_

Corrin set out from his office, sprinting towards Jakob's room. No time to waste.

* * *

 _Half an hour before, elsewhere in Fort Corrin….._

"…traps?" Flora blinked at Saizou, who tapped his foot impatiently as he looked around. He nodded gruffly.

"Yes, traps. Where are they? You know where they are, right?"  
"…why would Corrin set traps in his own castle?" The blue-haired maid inquired. "And please, refrain from throwing around _shuriken_ here." She gestured to a pair of throwing stars in her hand and another she was pulling out of the wall.

"I had to make sure there were no tripwires."

Kagerou sighed. "There _are_ no tripwires, Saizou. Corrin would hardly put tripwires where his sister might run into them."

"As much as I'd hate to admit it, Corrin's not like that," Takumi nodded in assent. Saizou merely harrumphed, looking around with his free eye before spying something out of the corner of his eye. With scarcely a wasted second, a _shuriken_ embedded itself onto a piece of cloth on the other corridor's wall, the figure it belonged to being a startled Mozu.

Flora sighed, closing her eyes. " _Please_ do not throw those in here. The walls are very hard to fix if you notch them."

Saizou grumbled, as Mozu glared at him, pulling the _shuriken_ from her dress.

"D'you mind not throwing those things 'round here?"

Kagerou spoke up. "We could fix this, right now, by going up to Corrin's room and searching it."

"Not sure that's a-" Takumi began, but Saizou was already halfway down the corridor. Flora reached out futilely to stop him.

"I…..probably should've told him Corrin set up a charm on his door."

Kagerou turned to her. "….charm? What kind of charm?"  
"An anti-lockpicking charm. The door will only open if you're allowed in. Otherwise…."

A loud bang could be heard from upstairs, followed by Saizou's yelping in surprise.

The female ninja rubbed her temples, closing her eyes. "…he should be more careful. I keep telling him this. Sorry, Miss Flora. I'll handle this."  
She strolled in deeper into the castle, with Takumi hurrying along behind her.

….

"…devious bastard," Saizou grumbled, his face blackened with soot. "I didn't expect a trap like that on his door."

Kagerou calmly dabbed at his face with a wet towel, removing the soot. "You should be less hasty next time."

Takumi groaned. "You know, if Corrin's _really_ this devious matchmaking prankster, don't you think he'll have seen this coming? It's not like you're a stranger to him, Saizo."

"…..you forgot the 'u'." _'Why do you care so much?'_

"How can you even tell?", the archer blinked, confused. "Anyway, we can't exactly break into Corrin's room, seeing as the door will literally explode in our faces. What now?"

"Clearly we try again," Saizou replied. "We grab a bench and we _smash_ that door down-"

"Oh, come off it!" The female ninja remarked. "Can we just give this whole thing up? If Corrin's as good as we think he is, do we really think we're going to be able to get him this easily?"

'… _..I don't really want to catch Corrin, not the way Saizo does, anyway,'_ Takumi thought to himself, ignoring the bickering of the two ninja. _'But…..I must press on.'_

"She's right," the archer added. "We shouldn't go that far. However…we do need to find out the truth. And…..hang on."

He held up his finger, as his gaze was drawn towards an open door, hanging slightly ajar.

A butler outfit was hanging in front of a wardrobe within. What appeared to be a vial of love potion rolled across the floor.

A wave of realisation swept over Saizou's face. Then an almost devious expression, if this serious ninja could be said to be devious.

* * *

 _The present…._

Corrin calmly peered into Jakob's room. The door was left ajar, just as he'd left it.

Good. It meant Jakob hadn't cottoned on to any scheme of his. The prince adjusted his mask, looking around the room.

It was the first time Corrin had been in Jakob's room. It was rather spartan, all things considered; the only decoration within the room consisted of one drawing hung on the wall, which Jakob had commissioned a year ago, of him, Flora, Felicia and Corrin standing together like friends. The rest of the room was rather drab, with only a wooden drawer, chest, wardrobe, desk and a bed- and all their contents- comprising all of the butler's worldly belongings.

'… _I really need to get Jakob nice things. Or a hobby,_ ' Corrin mused to himself as he looked around, strolling towards the bedside drawer, where he'd seen the diary prior. Before he actually touched the drawer, he quickly pulled out a pot of white powder, unscrewing the lid and flicking a pinch of it into the air. Two thin strings caught the powder, the white flakes hanging off of it.

"Shura, I owe you one for teaching me that one," he uttered, remembering the man from Kohga fondly. He made a mental note to catch up with him sometime. Pulling out a knife, the prince carefully cut the strings, following the string with his fingers to a latch.

He instinctively knew that if he pulled, he'd likely release some sort of alarm spell, or else a sticky adhesive; likely a trap that Jakob had set up. Corrin smirked. He gave Jakob too little credit.

But Jakob gave his best friend and master too little credit too.

He carefully swept the strings aside to make sure he didn't tread on them and accidentally trigger the traps, before his hands slowly wandered to the third tier of the drawers, closest to the floor, and he pulled the handle open to reveal a small, leatherbound tome- Jakob's diary. The prince slowly lifted his prize from the bottom, before-

"Hang on a second."

He felt something tug at the bottom. Corrin moved his fingers around the bottom of the tome, feeling around for-

"Uh oh."

A string. He could feel a string.

A string had been pulled taut by his ministrations. A rope that he hadn't noticed suddenly pulled tight around his ankle, and Corrin barely managed to slam his foot down to the ground to keep himself from being yanked upwards, hanging on to the drawer for dear life.

"W-what the-?!" His eyes widened in surprise.

This wasn't part of the plan.

….

 _Elsewhere in the palace….._

Saizou felt the trembling of the string he'd tied to the bottom of Jakob's diary. He stood up, ready to move as his other two companions looked around.

"Alright, so the prankster triggered my trap," the ninja clenched his fist. "Now, we'll settle this once and for all! And this prankster, whoever he is, will know the wrath of Saizou the Fifth!"

He ran in the direction of Jakob's room, leaving Kagerou and Takumi to look between each other.

"…..what are the chances that that's actually Elise?" the archer inquired drily. Kagerou closed her eyes.

"Honestly, quite high, but I'd rather not have to clean soot off my partner's face again. Come on, let's go!"

"R-right! Wait up!"

* * *

 **To be continued…..**

* * *

 **A/N: Well, well, the second- and significantly more hilarious- time Corrin's schemes have backfired on him. Whatever may come next?**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed, that, leave your ideas, comments, suggestions, criticisms, reviews and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	23. Corrin Reacts to Archnemeses, Part 2!

**Corrin Reacts to Archnemeses, Part 2!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! I promise, my long hiatuses are not intentional, but college seems to be kicking me in the balls more and more often lately. Anyway, I'll try to bash out a few updates for everything; I've actually been thinking of something big for** **Lucina Reacts** **, so stay tuned for the next update of that. So, last time, we left the story- and Corrin- hanging. Now, you're probably wondering what's going to happen. Good. I am too! Anyway, let's get on with the story!  
DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise Peri wouldn't be a literal serial killer (Not that I hate Peri, but….)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

Corrin squirmed, attempting to struggle out of the rope that had tied itself around his ankle.

' _How in the…..how did Jakob know?',_ the prince thought frantically as he attempt to wrench his fingers into the loop around his leg with one hand, the other clinging onto the drawer. It was in vain; the loop was too tight for him to put his fingers into. He instinctively reached for his Dragonstone, which was supposed to be around his neck, before remembering he'd left it in his room to do this- and in any case, transforming into a giant dragon would defeat the point of stealth.

Not that stealth mattered anymore, as the moment Jakob or anyone walked in here, his entire operation was busted.

"Come on, come on…." Corrin uttered, grumbling as he continued struggling, hanging upside down. He groaned, knowing exactly what he'd have to do to escape.

' _Oh…..I knew I really should've taken Laslow up on those dancing lessons.'_

The prince carefully wrenched himself upwards, curling his body up while letting go of the rope. He grunted and moaned the whole way; the prince may had been in peak physical condition due to good training and his draconic physique, but the art of contortion was something entirely new to him. He attempted to tug on the rope, pulling it off his leg, but to no avail. Instead, his hand slipped, causing him to be jerked back down painfully.

"Gods-!" Corrin nearly yelped, before stopping himself. Closing his eyes, he attempted to swing himself towards the drawer, but the drawer was now out of his reach. The prince looked exasperated with his situation.

"Of all the _possible_ times….", he muttered under his breath, slumping back down, as the rope bounced slightly.

"…..what the….." Corrin looked up towards the rope and the hoop keeping it attached to the ceiling. Near one of the joints, the rope was beginning to look frayed, as if it had taken too much weight and was about to snap. Corrin's eyes widened in terror for a moment, before the expression changed to confidence.

And then, just as quickly, to exasperation.

"So I have to…..oh….." the prince closed his eyes, sighing. This wasn't ideal; doing all this might make too much noise, or else achieve nothing at all. It would also hurt massively on his leg and back, to boot.

He sighed. "Rock and a hard place. Niles would have a field day watching me right now."

With a deep breath in, Corrin curled himself back towards the ceiling and dropped down again, the increased weight fraying the rope further and further as the threads slowly unwound themselves from the rope.

* * *

 _Meanwhile…_

Saizou sprinted as fast as he could, his eye flickering with determination. He had the air of a bloodhound having caught the scent of wounded prey. In his right hand lay the string he'd used to ensure that whoever was unfortunate enough to be caught in his trap would not easily escape.

"I have him," the ninja gutturally uttered. "I finally have him. I will _prove_ to you that Corrin is _guilty_!"

Kagerou sighed, trailing almost behind him. "It's almost as if that matters at all. What will you do if he is?"

"I'll…..have him sent in front of Ryoma!"

"Ryoma loves him," Takumi reminded him carefully. "He wants to make up for years of not being there for Corrin. What makes you think Ryoma will do anything?"  
"I'll figure something out! But I will not be _cowed_ by some prankster! Even if he is a prince!"

They continued running. Jakob's room was not far now; two or three more corners and they would be right there. Just a minute, and Saizou would either be vindicated, or be revenged upon the person who had pranked him.

' _I wonder who takes pranks this seriously….'_ Takumi mused to himself irritably. _'…and now I see Azama's smug look. Great.'_

One corner. Then none. The red-clad ninja slammed his foot into Jakob's door, punting the door aside.

"Aha!" Saizou roared, turning the door into Jakob's room. "Now I…have you."

His voice faltered as the rope that he had laid hung from the ceiling, frayed where most of it had broken off. The ninja twitched.

Kagerou seemed relieved. Takumi raised an eyebrow at that.

"…you know anything about this?" the archer inquired suspiciously.

"I'd prefer not to explain to Jakob why his room's stained with the remains of his best friend and his master."

"How?" Saizou growled. "How could he…impossible! He couldn't have gotten away! That trap was perfect! No…..that's it."

He clenched his fist, beginning to storm out of the room. "I'll go to Corrin's room. He won't be in there. And if he isn't, I'll know for sure!"

Kagerou rubbed the back of her head, her serious expression becoming even more unamused. She turned to Takumi. "…..and now you see why I broke up with him."

"I thought you broke up with him over Ryoma?"

"Well, that helped," the female ninja mused, with a slight tinge of regret and wistful nostalgia in her voice. She sighed deeply. "I find myself missing those days a little. Well, anyway, let's get going. Saizou won't take care of himself."

….

Corrin breathed heavily, clutching his chest as he listened to Saizou's spiel at a safe distance, the rope he'd managed to break still hanging around his ankle. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down, leaning against the wall.

"Thank the gods I managed to break out of that thing…..", the prince muttered to nobody in particular, rubbing his ankle. "Saizou had me dead to rights right there. At least now it all makes sense. Jakob's good, but not that good. I wonder how long Saizou's known….."

He looked around hastily, ensuring Saizou didn't leave him any other surprises, before looking down the corridor.

Rather irritatingly, Saizou and his posse lay between Corrin and freedom- not only that, but Saizou was already halfway to his room by now. Corrin checked his mental clock, counting how many minutes he'd wasted.

' _I've wasted three minutes trying to escape, and two getting here and retrieving the diary,_ ' he uttered, grateful that he managed to take what he'd come for. _'…that leaves me four minutes to get back to my room, read the thing and figure out what I need to know and then HIDE the diary so Saizou doesn't murder the life out of me.'_

Corrin swallowed nervously. He'd never been this pressed for time in any of his schemes or in any of his battles during the war before.

This would either be the closest run thing he'd ever done or the most horrific failure he'd ever experienced; not least of all because if he did get caught, Saizou would probably visit as horrible a fate as an experienced assassin with several kills before the war under his belt, expertise in selective assassination, tracking and poisoning, and combat experience in the form of fighting undead monsters from the Invisible Kingdom was capable of visiting upon anyone.

So, all in all, probably somewhere between 'being a maid in Peri's house' and 'being Niles' plaything for a night' on the scale of terrible fates to encounter.

Corrin swallowed nervously. _'….no pressure.'_

* * *

 _Meanwhile, elsewhere in Fort Corrin…._

"….this what they call checkmate?" Mozu scratched her head, moving her pawn just in front of Elise's king. Elise whimpered, but sighed, nodding slowly.

"It's a checkmate."  
"Oh! I did it!" The villager seemed pleased with herself, as if she'd achieved the impossible, like lifting a mountain on her hands. She leaned back, sighing in relief.

The princess and villager were playing chess, and Elise had obviously lost. She had suffered more losses in the porcelain war than Mozu had, with most of Elise's white pieces sitting behind on Mozu's side. The princess was down to a rook, pawn and king, while the villager still had several pawns, a bishop, a knight and both rooks. Elise frowned, raising her hands in defeat.

"Aww….", the princess whined, leaning back in her chair in defeat. "I thought I had you this time for sure, Mozu."

"Yeah," Mozu chuckled nervously, putting the pieces back on the plate. "To be honest, mi'lady, I didn't think I'd be any good at this chess thing."

"It's like you took lessons from a master!" Elise uttered, looking entirely in awe. "Can you teach me?"  
"A-actually, Silas taught me how to play," the villager explained. "He, uh, offered to teach me."

"Awww…..Leo would never teach me how to play," Elise puffed her cheeks out childishly. "He always said I was way too immature to learn how to play."

"Well, if a farmgirl like me can learn how, so can you, right?" Mozu pointed out, chuckling. "Besides, you did okay, right?"  
"Well, you did checkmate me in two turns _twice_ ," the princess replied, frowning. "But, still, it's really fun, playing with someone my age…."  
"What, you don't get, er, Lady Sakura or something to play with you?"

Elise looked down, playing with one of her ponytails. "Well, I mean…Sakura's nice, and she's one of my best friends, but…..I just wish I had someone who'd have time to keep up with me. Someone like….Odin!" The princess cheered up at the sound of the dark mage's name.

"Oh yeah! You two get along like pigs on a farm," Mozu remarked, giggling at the thought. "He's a little loud but he's as sweet as syrup, Odin. You ever wonder where he came from, though?"  
"I thought he was always from Nohr!" Elise replied, tilting her head curiously. The villager shook her head sagely.

"His accent's just….too weird. Like, he's a little Hoshidan, a little Nohrian, but not quite. I can't place it, but he's one strange fella-"

The two girls were suddenly interrupted by Corrin bursting in, looking red-faced and sweaty. He was wearing a black cloak similar to the adventurer's outfits the two of them were accustomed to seeing during treks in the Outrealms, and the shape of a tome could be seen poking out just under the cloak.

Elise's eyes widened, confused. "Corrin? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I-I'll get Flora!" Mozu stood up, but the prince shook his head hurriedly, motioning subtly to the tome. Mozu immediately understood.

' _Ah. So this is what he wanted me for. One of his darned schemes,'_ the villager thought, calming down. _'Well, hope it works out. It's probably about getting Flora and Jakob together again.'_

"Don't worry, Mozu," the princess offered, reaching for her Mending stave. "I'll-"

"No, no, Elise! I'm fine! Really!" Corrin laughed nervously, shaking it off. "I'm just a little out of breath, is all! Uh…sis, can you do me a favour?"  
"Sure, Big Bro! What is it?"  
"Can you tell Saizou he dropped this?" He threw her a bag of sweets- namely, peppermints, licorice and chocolates. Elise caught it with outstretched hands, confused.

"Huh?"  
 _'Wait a second….'_ Mozu raised an eyebrow. _'I don't know a lot about that Saizou, but I know enough to know he and sweets get along as well as a house on fire. Corrin, what in the name of the gods are you up to now?'_

"Yeah. I found it in the corridor after Saizou left it behind. I tried, but he was a little too fast. Do you mind giving it back to him? Don't tell him I picked it up, by the way. He'd think I took some."  
"Of course!" The princess nodded hurriedly, her ponytails bobbing about. "Anything else?"

"No. Thanks, Elise! You're a life-saver. I promise, I'll take you out for something nice! See you in a bit!"  
With that, Corrin sprinted out of the room, leaving Elise behind holding a bag of candy and Mozu scratching her head.

"…what was that about?" the villager wondered; even being in on the scheme, she couldn't figure out for the life of her what Saizou had to do with anything. Elise shrugged.

"I don't know, but I feel a little jealous," the princess pouted, staring at the bag of candy. "…I wonder where Saizou got this….."

* * *

 _Minutes later…._

Saizou sprinted up the corridor, Kagerou and Takumi following closely behind. Just a few minutes, maybe one or two, from Corrin's room and he could prove once and for all that the prince was behind all the pranking.

"Come on, come on…." the red ninja uttered under his breath. Kagerou's eyes widened in surprised as she grabbed Saizou's shoulder to stop him.

"Be careful!", she barked out.

"Kagerou! What are you-" Saizou whirled around to face her, skidding to a stop barely a hair's breadth in front of Elise. The young princess didn't seem perturbed by nearly being run over by him, even as her ponytails swayed from the halted momentum. She smiled sweetly at him, closing her eyes.

"Saizou! Heeeeey!"

Takumi blinked as if awakened from a trance. "Eh? Elise? When….when did she show up?"

Saizou wasn't endeared to the princess' greetings. "…..hello, Elise."

"I've got something for you! I think you dropped it!"

"…..what?"

"Heeeeere!" Elise thrust a bag of sweets into his chest, smiling sweetly. Kagerou suppressed a laugh.

' _Oh. Oh dear,'_ the female ninja thought. _'That can't possibly end well.'_

Saizou's seeing eye twitched.

"…are these…..sweets?"  
"Mhm! I found them! I thought they might be yours!"

Saizou was about to brusquely brush her off, as he did most people stupid enough to offer him sweets, before he remembered Kagerou's words.

'" _I doubt Corrin would be particularly happy if you did that."_ '

The red ninja breathed in deeply, mustering his composure. He was vastly irritated and itching to vindicate himself, but if Corrin found out that he'd made his little sister cry, no amount of expertise would save Saizou the Fifth from the swift and painful death that would follow.

He knew the power of rage well enough. Besides, if Corrin was furious at him, then it would be harder to catch him by surprise and thus prove himself.

Instead, he slowly, awkwardly patted Elise on the head, as one might do to a child.  
"I…thank you, for the sweets, but…..why don't _you_ keep them?"

Kagerou had to resist the urge to grin. She hadn't seen Saizou so awkward since they were dating and she asked him to pose for her paintings.

"You sure?" Elise tilted her head, her lavender eyes flickering curiously. "I mean, these are really nice sweets!"

"Yes, I'm sure," he responded, almost hissing it out. "Please, keep them!"

"Okaaaaaay!" The princess suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him. "You're nicer than people say you are, Saizou! Have a nice daaaaaay!"

After quickly detaching from him, Elise scampered back into the room, the bag of sweets in her hand. Saizou felt his eyelid twitch again as he stood there frozen, not quite understanding what had just transpired.

He turned to Kagerou, who was covering her smiling mouth with her hand. "Not a _word_ to anyone."

"I wasn't going to."

"N-neither was I!" Takumi almost sputtered out when the red ninja's fierce gaze turned on him. Saizou huffed before heading off in the direction he'd originally been going in.

….

 _Corrin's Room_

' _Alright, that probably bought me an extra minute or two,'_ Corrin thought and released a sigh of relief as he shut a drawer at his desk. He exhaled, leaning back and relaxing.

"Alright, just a bit of-"  
His words were cut off as Saizou, Kagerou and Takumi opened the door to his room, the red ninja staring at Corrin as if he were unwelcome in his own home.

"You-!", Saizou hissed in disbelief. "What are you doing here?!"

"What wouldn't I be doing in my own room?" the prince inquired casually, raising an eyebrow. Saizou huffed, strolling towards his desk. "You two, make sure he can't leave the room when I find it."  
"Find what?" Corrin inquired in a practiced innocent tone, akin to the tone Elise took when explaining herself to Felicia after another session of messing up the kitchen.

"You know precisely _what_."  
"What, my love letters to Azura? Or perhaps the sonnets I've been writing for Jakob?"

"Don't toy with me, _prince_. You know what. Your pranks. Your antics. Evidence of that!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The red ninja didn't bother gracing that with a response, as he looked towards the desk. He traced Corrin's gaze, as it followed a certain drawer.

He seemed a lot more confident now. "Are you sure you don't?"  
"Dead sure. Why?"

' _As I thought. As a mother looks to her child in a fire, Corrin looks to his shenanigans. I'll prove it now.'_

"Then you won't mind when I…..do this?" Saizou inquired as, with a swift motion, he moved behind Corrin's desk and opened the drawer Corrin had his eye on, pulling out a tome.

The prince raised an eyebrow. "No, I won't."

The ninja studied him with his good eye, before opening the tome and-

"…..what is this."

"Hm?"

"What is _this?!_ " Saizou roared, shoving the pages of sketches in Corrin's face. They were all of Flora, whether of her standing in profile or portraits of her head, an ambiguous expression on all of them akin to her usual expression.

"Why is this full of drawings?!"

"Ah. You found Elise's sketchbook. Thanks. I've been looking for that."

At that, even Takumi had to snicker slightly at how badly Saizou had screwed up.

' _Well-played, brother. Well-played.'_

" _NO!"_ Saizou growled, casting the book aside, looking in the drawer. "Where is it?! Where?!"

"Where's what?"  
"Jakob's diary! The one you stole! The one I trapped!"  
"Oh, so you broke into Jakob's room?" Corrin lifted an eyebrow quizzically. "My, my. What would Jakob think if he found out? Especially if he found out you put booby traps in his room?"

"….I see what you're doing," the assassin remarked, stepping away, pointing a finger at him. "….I'll get you for this. I swear, I'll prove that you're guilty?"  
"Of what crime?"

"You _know what_!"

At that, Kagerou lightly grabbed Saizou, shaking her head. She looked apologetically at Corrin.

"Sorry. You know how he gets. We're going now. Sorry to bother you."

With that, she yanked her almost frothing partner away and out of his room. Takumi stared at the prince strangely, with a mix of awe and irritation, before following suit.

When he was sure they were out of earshot, Corrin sighed, before pulling the diary from his waist, clipped where he usually kept a magic tome. He quickly flicked through it.

"Alright, let's hurry this up. If I don't, he'll come back and then I'm surely…wait."

The pages were blank. All of them, blank. Not a word in ink or graphite. The prince closed and opened the pages, as if that would make something appear on the pages, to no avail. He looked exasperated.

' _I went through all that….for nothing?'_

The only page that had anything on it was the front page, which had a simple phrase written in on it.

 _Know when you are beaten._

And he knew instantly what had happened.

'… _so. Saizou played me the whole time,'_ Corrin looked almost impressed- almost, because now trying to figure out how to get Flora with Jakob was going to be hard if he didn't have the diary. He leaned back in the chair, casting the blank tome aside.

So, that had been the ruse. The traps were all a smokescreen, to ensure that Corrin would pick up the blank book. If the book had been blank, then Corrin would've almost certainly been caught.

Good for him that he had a book of sketches he'd made of Flora, then. They were practice sketches, of course; they weren't the best, but the image of the maid was ingrained in his head after almost a decade of time around her, and so she was one of the best he could draw from memory.

' _Well played, Saizou the Fifth. Well played.'_

….

 _Outside…._

"I almost could've sworn I had him with the fake diary….." Saizou muttered under his breath. "I had it set up. If the diary had been blank….."

Kagerou sighed, patting him on the back. "Well, there are worse things. Perhaps Corrin really isn't the prankster."

"I doubt that. Takumi knows him too well."  
"Yeah. Sure," the archer rubbed the back of his head. "….better luck next time."

"Yes," the female ninja looked almost exasperated. "Next time."

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: So, finally. Corrin gets outsmarted by someone else. Oh boy oh boy. Well, anyway, next chapter, Corrin Reacts to Hot Springs! This'll probably be yet another two-parter, and I should really do more one-parters again. But yeah. So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, suggestions, criticisms, reviews and thoughts, and I hope you enjoy this nice stinger I'm leaving for you.**

* * *

 _Hours later….._

Corrin sighed, casually browsing the Internet on the laptop in his room. He still didn't quite understand how in all the world did a laptop have such great connection to the Outrealms or remained powered so long.

He decided not to ask. Considering that the Antic Order was responsible for giving him the computer, he had long since learned that asking that particular question was going to involve some sort of shenanigans against the laws of physics themselves.

"The technology to do all that and they use it all on pranks," the prince mused. "I wonder how long it'd take to make one of these from components we have here-"  
Someone knocked at his door. Corrin raised an eyebrow, somewhat confused. Nobody really knocked at his door; if it was Azura or Elise, they walked straight in, and if it was one of his servants, they would call his name through the door.

He discounted the idea it was a visitor, for the simple reason that Flora, Felicia or Jakob would've told him by now. Inquisitive, Corrin stood up.

"Come in?"

The door swung open, revealing Kagerou.

'… _.how'd she get in without seeing anyone?',_ the prince wondered as the female ninja walked up to him, sitting in front of his desk.

"Hey, uh, Kagerou," Corrin smiled at her, waving. "I didn't know you were coming. What's up?"  
"You do know…..I know about all your pranks, right?" she replied. Corrin's smile faltered slightly.

"I….don't-"  
"I know you were responsible for Beruka and Benny's relationship. I know you were responsible for taking the fake diary. And I know you're trying to pair people together," Kagerou explained matter-of-factly. "Am I correct?"

"…how'd you know?"

Kagerou gave a small smile. "I have my ways."

"…so, is this blackmail? Are you extorting something from me?"

"No, not at all. I'm just here to tell you that I'm supportive of your aim."

Corrin's eyes widened. "What, seriously?"

"I can respect wanting to ensure people have good relationships, after my own…" Kagerou faltered slightly, not wanting to bring up her own relationship with Saizou too much. "…..well, anyway. Unlike my partner, I don't care what you do. As long as nobody gets hurt."

"Can you call him off then?"

"No, sadly. If his own brother can't do it, it'll take Ryoma himself to," the female ninja replied, sighing. "….still. If I can do anything to help with Flora and Jakob's relationship, say the word."

"…..Orochi told you, didn't she."  
"Orochi tells me _everything_ , Corrin. I'm surprised you didn't know that."

The prince sighed, closing his eyes and chuckling. "Well…..I suppose I should've expected that. Well…..anything else? Any other leaks I should know about?"  
"No. Just a well-wisher." Kagerou stood up, preparing to walk out. "…and if Saizou asks, I was never here. I don't think he'd be too happy with me vindicating his current archenemy."

"…I'll keep that in mind," Corrin nodded. "See you around, then."

* * *

 **END**


	24. Corrin Reacts to Hot Springs, Part 1!

**Corrin Reacts to Hot Springs!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Now, my updates, as sporadic as they already are, are going to get even more so, mainly because for now, I'm on break and staying with family, and also because after this, it's a race to the finish to deal with exams and what-not up the wazoo. Worry not, I'll try to prepare something for you guys. Now, as it's the holidays and I don't actually think I'll be able to come up with a Christmas special for this, have something else to warm you guys up instead. Since you guys seem to like Flora/Corrin, have some more! I think.**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise the next game would have a technology vs. magic conflict. (Pegasus dragoons? Yes please.)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"E-Elise…"  
"Yes?"  
"Is everything alright?" Felicia inquired, lightly tilting her head at the princess. "You….look odd."  
"It's cold! Don't judge me!"  
"Yes, but…..y-you don't need…..that many layers, surely?"  
"It's too coooooooold to be dressed normally!" Elise whined, her voice muffled by the layers of clothing she was wearing. "I don't know how you can dress like _that_! Isn't that uniform _backless_?"

Indeed, Elise resembled a pile of discarded clothing more than the Nohrian princess she was, with several woollen blankets swaddling her body, which was protected from the cold by a thick coat of bear hide, the collar of the hood and cuffs rimmed with thick wolf fur. The clothing seemed to engulf her, the top of her head and her two distinctive ponytails being the only things visible of her body and standing out against the assorted russet hues. Even through all of that, it seemed, Elise was still cold, judging by the pronounced shivering shaking the pile of clothing as it bobbed towards the maid.

Felicia barely held back a chuckle. "I-it's not that cold, and it's only a _small_ part of my back….."  
"D-don't laugh at me!", the princess whined, trying to fold her arms petulantly. Her arms stuck out from the pile in thick woolly tubes, her tiny hands barely poking out the ends, and she could scarcely move to even press her arms against her body again. Elise wriggled for a few seconds, as if attempting to struggle, before sighing in defeat.  
"Are you stuck?"  
"…..yes," the princess admitted, her resigned tone clear even through her layers of clothing. The giant mass waddled towards the wall, leaning against it. "Can you unstick me, please?"  
Felicia nodded hurriedly, rushing over to help. "O-okay!"

….

"Aww….it's way too cold for me to _not_ have blankets…." Elise complained, now sitting atop of her pile of wrappings akin to a dragon upon its golden hoard while hugging her arms to herself to retain heat. Felicia frowned.  
"Well, they might g-get all dirty, and then I'd have to clean it up and you wouldn't h-have anything to wrap yourself in…."  
Elise nodded sadly, knowing that what she was saying was true. "Yeah. Why does winter have to be so cold? Snow's fun and all, but it's way too cold to enjoy it properly!"  
"Don't be silly, Elise. It's not that cold. Corrin's walking around barefoot!", the pink-haired maid reassured her.  
The princess huffed. "Corrin's different! He always walks around like that!"

Flora walked in, calmly sweeping away some of the fluff Elise had trailed behind her with her giant cocoon of blankets with a small broom in hand. She frowned at the princess, motioning to the pile of blankets.  
"I would prefer you do not get these dirty, please. Doing the laundry is difficult enough."  
"But I'm cold!" Elise protested, crossing her arms defiantly. "How are we even cold anyway? We're supposed to be in an alternate dimension or something!"  
"Ask Lilith-" Felicia began to suggest, before looking to her sister. "Actually, where _is_ Lilith? I haven't seen her all day."  
Flora shook her head in reply. "Mozu spirited her away after she said she hadn't tried Hoshidan food yet. They'll be back later."  
"Well, that doesn't solve the problem," Elise pointed out. "What are we going to do about it being cold here?"  
"We could go hang out with Izana."

The three girls looked up to see Corrin stroll in, still barefoot and in his usual dress, the only concession to the winter months being a fur trim on his black cloak. He smiled at Flora and the others.

"Izana?" his sister chimed in. "Why?"  
"Well, he has these hot springs in his palace in Izumo," the prince explained, before looking to Flora again. "And, well, Flora was meant to spend a few days there for her health before _I_ got sick instead and she rushed back- sorry about that, by the way-"  
"It's quite alright," the blue-haired maid reassured him with a smile. "We're…..friends, after all."  
"So…..anyway, I thought maybe we could go there and actually spend some time in the springs."  
"Hot springs?" Azura also appeared from another door, raising an eyebrow. "My, my. A party and you _didn't_ invite me. Corrin, don't tell me you intend to have Flora and Felicia _all_ to yourself?"  
Flora's eyes widened. "W-what's that supposed to mean?!"  
"Hot springs! Yay!" Elise jumped up and down for joy, already anticipating the heat. "Can we go now? Pleaaaaaase?"  
"Well, I'm already packed; Izana invited me over. I actually only came down to see if you guys wanted in."  
Flora nodded slowly, almost smiling before her mood faltered. "That sounds like a good idea. But…..are you sure it's okay if we come with you?"  
"You kidding? Izana _made_ me invite you guys. Especially you."  
"There's work to be done here, a-and besides, I'd just make it awkward," Flora half-heartedly answered. "I should really stay h-here…."  
Corrin frowned. "Come on. It'll be fun! Well, more fun than doing work here. Besides, there's not much to be doing."  
"It'll be fine," Azura added. "Besides, if we're all going, we _all_ have to go, you included."

Flora looked between her sister, the songstress and Elise, who was bouncing with excitement. Then she gazed at Corrin, who seemed to be waiting for her response patiently. Corrin didn't respond to her, but she already knew what he'd say.  
'… _..if Corrin will go, then…I don't see why not.'  
_ "Okay," the blue-haired maid nodded. "I'll pack as soon as I'm finished cleaning."  
Corrin seemed happy about that, smiling and nodding. "Well, I'll be waiting by the door. Meet in ten minutes!"  
"Yaaaaaay!" Elise cheered happily. "We're going to the hot springs!"

* * *

 _Later, in Izumo…._

"Lord Izana, someone is here to see you."  
"Oh?" Izana turned towards his servant, a young-looking maid with blonde hair. His long, platinum-blonde hair was currently curled up in several rolls hanging down the back of his head, akin to a rack of sausages in a butcher's shop, with a Hoshidan golden comb wedged on the right of his head, where he had been grooming it to keep it clean. He turned his head around carefully in order to maintain the grotesque rack of tubes- intended to straighten it- on his head, facing his servant with a grin on his face. "Is it Corrin? I only talked to him a while ago. He's quick."  
"Actually, my lord, it isn't."

The diviner raised an eyebrow quizzically. "…..hm? Who is it? Is it one of our regular guests, perhaps?"  
"He…..says he knows Corrin," the maid explained confusedly. "He says he wants to talk to you."

Izana carefully picked up a tome from under his table, slipping it into his sleeve. The Duke of Izumo was no stranger to assassination attempts, and though there hadn't been any for years, even he wasn't foolish enough to ignore a potential threat. "Ah. Could you send him up here, dear?"  
"Right away-ooh!"

The maid was suddenly bowled aside by a short youth in a black cloak and greyish armor, a head of azure hair on his head and wide, round grey eyes peering at Izana's hair curiously. Izana, for his part, grinned to hide his confusion. There was something about him that he couldn't quite place, something odd.

It hit him a few seconds later; there was something familiar about his face. Maybe it was the eyes, or the curves of his face, or the grin on his lips, but there was something oddly recognizable.  
'… _..why does he look so familiar?'_

"You're Izana, right?", the youth asked breathlessly, trying to regain his breath as he leaned on the doorframe. "THE Izana, yeah?"  
"The one and only, of course," the diviner introduced himself smoothly, pulling off a courteous bow while carefully hiding his tome in his sleeve. "Could I ask who you are?"  
"A friend of Corrin's. You won't know me, he only met me after the war! He actually sent me ahead of him for a surprise!"  
 _'Now this, I didn't know,'_ Izana mused curiously about this 'friend' of the prince's he'd never met before. _'Corrin, what_ are _you planning?'  
_ Izana tilted his head ever so slightly- not too far, lest the bundle of curls on his head fell and messed up his immaculate hair. "Oh? For who?"  
"Flora!", the boy grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "He just wants me to do something nice for her. Do you mind?"  
 _'Another one of his schemes to make that girl happy,_ ' the diviner thought to himself, sighing. _'If I were stupid, I'd think he liked her_ that _way.'  
_ Izana seemed amused, almost to the point of disbelief. "Alright, I believe you. You've got a name, right?"  
"It's…..erm….", the youth thought carefully, his eyes darting around the room before settling on a book on the duke's shelf. "…..Canas! Yes, that! Totally! Do you know where the hot springs are?"  
' _Canas? I'll give him points for improvisation…'_ the diviner mused, clearly impressed, if only by the youth's valiant, if failed, attempt. _'….I'll let this play out. Corrin's a big boy, he can handle himself pretty well, if I'm wrong and this Canas isn't who he says he is.'  
_ "They're downstairs, two floors down. Careful on the floors, they're a little wet from the steam."  
"Thanks!" "Canas" thanked him with another cheeky grin, before dashing off. Izana, for his part, sighed, looking to his maid with a soft smile.  
"Leysritt, would you see to it that he doesn't make too big of a mess in the springs? I would go myself, but my hair needs attending to."  
"Yes, milord, right away."  
The duke nodded as she left, turning back to his mirror and continuing to comb his luxurious head of hair.  
' _I do hope for your sake that you're prepared for nonsense, Corrin. This ought to be an interesting night.'_

* * *

 _Later…._

Corrin carefully wrapped a towel around his waist, looking at himself in the mirror to ensure he didn't mess up the wrapping. He breathed the steamy air in, closing his eyes and letting the warm vapour run over his pale skin and toned chest, muscled from years of training and honed in the field of battle, as the droplets ran down towards his towelled waist. He opened his eyes, tucking one end of the towel into the other to form a skirt hiding everything beneath the waist for modesty's sake. Corrin sighed, rubbing the back of his head, as he gazed over at Jakob, who not only had not undressed for the occasion, but was standing as prim as ever in the corner of the room, dressed in full butler's garb.

"You sure you won't take a dip in the hot springs? Izana's already said he's fine with it," the prince offered. Jakob looked at him as if Corrin had suggested he take a bath in molten chocolate.  
"I am here to provide for you, Lord Corrin, and not to relax. I can do that when you do not need to be provided for."  
"Izana's servants are fine for that and I can handle myself."  
"Nonsense! Only the best of care is acceptable for you, and I will provide that," the butler reassured him haughtily. Corrin gave him a meaningful look, raising an eyebrow and frowning slightly.  
Jakob deflated, exhaling deeply. "You don't have to say it. I've apologised to Flora, for what it's worth."  
"Then you know why I'm telling you you need to take a break," the prince replied simply. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but you don't need to put your loyalty towards me ahead of yourself."  
"…I suppose I could…..give it a go, relaxing," Jakob conceded with a resigned sigh. "Fine. As you ask, I will try to relax here and avail myself of Lord Izana's springs."  
"Thank you," Corrin replied with a smile, tossing him an unused towel.  
The butler gave a short bow, preparing to walk out. Before he did, however, he turned to Corrin once more. Within his usual neutral expression, a hint of concern and worry crossed his face.  
"…not that it would bother me unduly if she was, but….is Flora…..angry with me?"  
"No, of course not," Corrin reassured him. "Why would she be?"  
"…I know I can be…..rather oblivious and foolish. But…perhaps I should find time to explain to her why I did not take her offer to join her on the night of the Festival," the butler admitted, a tone of concession plain in his voice for a short moment.  
Just as quickly as it came, it went, and he returned to his usual haughty demeanour. "….I don't suppose you'll breathe a word of this to anyone? It would be dreadfully annoying if, say, Lady Elise were to find out."  
"My lips are sealed," the prince promised, a friendly grin on his face. He shooed off his friend jokingly. "Now go. You're starting to get all sweaty. It'll be annoying to take that off if the sweat sticks to you."  
Jakob blanched. "W-why didn't you say so earlier?"  
"It's nice to see you act so vulnerable. It's a good look," Corrin replied with a devilish grin. Jakob answered his grin with an exasperated sigh.

...

"It's so warm in here…." Elise almost breathed out as she leaned against the heated rocks bordering the spring. She, Azura and Felicia had an entire pool to themselves- courtesy of their gracious host- and so the three ladies availed themselves of the privacy and the warmth of Izumo's waters. Azura rested herself next to her adoptive sister, her blue hair splayed out on the surface of the water. She closed her eyes, taking in the atmosphere.  
"It's the first time we've been to a _real_ spring,"the songstress remarked. "Lilith's good, no offense to her, but a good replica can't compare to the genuine article."  
"I-I haven't felt so cosy in my life," Felicia sighed out, settling down to the point that only her head poked out of the water. She closed her eyes, joining Elise in resting their heads on the hot stones. "I-It's like…..taking a hot bath! O-Only twice as warm!"  
"Well, we _are_ essentially taking a hot bath," Azura replied dryly. "If you'd like, we could get soap and a toy duck and make it playtime."  
Felicia had to giggle at that. "I r-really should be offended at that, but I can't help it…."  
"I wonder where Flora is," Elise interjected, looking towards the door where their fourth companion was expected to arrive. "She's been changing for a while."  
"I can't blame her, it must take a while to take that uniform off," Azura remarked, before looking towards the maid beside her. "Seriously, how do you even put those maid uniforms on and wear them? They look really uncomfortable, what with the exposed back and the thighs- not that I'm complaining about the thighs…."  
"You get used t-to it, mostly," Felicia explained sheepishly. "It's j-just tying that b-bow behind you. It's really hard; I used to have to g-get Flora to help me tie it…."  
"I mean, it's not the most awkward uniform, considering what Kaze and all the other ninjas wear," the songstress confessed, chuckling. "Still, it's up there."  
Elise frowned. "Oh come on. I've always wanted to try wearing one of those! They look so _cute_!"  
"R-really?" the pink-haired maid blushed slightly. "I…uh….I could let you t-try one out, once we get back h-home. I-it'll be a bit big….."  
The princess' eyes lit up excitedly. "What, really? You'll let me try one out?"  
"O-of course! I don't see why not."  
"You're the best!" Elise squealed happily, wrapping her arms tightly around Felicia, who squeaked herself from how much strength there surprisingly was in her small frame.  
Azura chuckled at the sight, before sighing and looking towards the door. "…honestly, though. Should we go out and look for her? We've been here five minutes and Flora still hasn't come down."  
"She's fine," Felicia reassured her. "We're in Izana's home, it's n-not like someone kidnapped her or s-something."

"…you know, when people say that in stories, that's exactly what happens," the songstress teasingly remarked, causing the maid to panic.  
"Uuuuh?! What?! I….I-I mean…i-it's not like…..s-someone _d-didn't_ kidnap her?"  
"That's not how it works~" Azura teased, but before she could continue, a voice spoke up from the other end of the room.

"My, my, quite the gathering we have here, don't we?"

Suddenly, all eyes in the room were on the new occupant. Camilla gracefully stepped into the water, her lavender hair trailing behind her in a curtain over the water while still covering half of her face. The towel she wore barely held her considerable chest, and Felicia quietly resisted the urge to tell the elder princess to leave and get a bigger towel, lest the one she wore fall and remove all modesty from her form.  
"Ah, Camilla," Azura smiled, partially genuinely but also to hide her confusion. "Didn't know you were joining us today."  
"Big sis!" Elise chirped cheerfully, wading over to hug her older sister tightly. Even in the water, Camilla dwarfed her younger sibling, and so it seemed akin to a mother hugging her child when she received Elise in a hug, smiling.  
"I should be visiting you more," the elder princess admitted. "Sorry, Elise. How's living with Corrin treating you?"  
"It's fun! Corrin's the _best_ as always, Azura's an awesome big sister, and it's always exciting when something fun happens!"

'… _.now that you mention it, it's weird that Camilla hasn't visited,'_ the songstress nodded slowly. _'And…..it's awfully convenient that she showed up while…..Corrin's away from all defences and out of house.'  
_ It dawned upon her, then, what exactly Camilla had planned. Azura was almost impressed.  
'… _I see what your plan is now. Sneaky, I'll give you that. But…how do you plan on doing it?'_

* * *

 _Meanwhile….._

Corrin walked down the hall, which was foggy with mist from the various springs. Izumo was located atop a mountain with natural hot springs and had plenty of them to boot; it didn't take much for Izana, once he discovered this, to make modifications to accommodate it. There were four rooms with smaller springs, two for men and two for women, along with a big communal spring at the very end of the corridor; the smaller rooms were marked with signs, which were often repainted and repaired as the constant mist made the paint on the signs run from time to time.

For his part, Corrin was trying to find which spring Izana had set aside for him- and Jakob, now that Jakob was going to join him. The mist made it difficult, however; the thin paper-and-wood sliding doors didn't do much to hold in steam.  
"Atmosphere or not, Izana really needs to work on making it easier to see in here," the prince remarked, squinting to look at the signs. "It's way too foggy in here….."

As his eyes scanned through the mist, a dark figured suddenly darted out of sight. Corrin whirled around, hand already instinctively searching for Yato at his side, before remembering he had left it at home- no reason for him to bring it, after all. The prince froze, trying to find the elusive figure just out of his sight to no avail.  
"…hello?" He called out cautiously, looking around. There were no signs of anything having been moved to elude vision, and no wet footprints to suggest that a bather had gone to change. Corrin sighed, shaking his head.  
"…..I'm just making myself worry today," he muttered to himself, before looking once more for the assigned room, before finding the room, a sign on it saying 'Reserved for Friends' underneath the Hoshidan character for 'man', along with its Nohrian translation. Corrin slid the door aside and stepped in, closing it behind him as he stepped into the warm pool, releasing a satisfied sigh as he felt the warmth.  
"Oh _gods_ that's good," the prince exclaimed as he relaxed into the pool. It'd been a while since he had taken something nearly so luxurious as a soak in a spring, let alone a spring like those in Izumo.

"C-Corrin!"

The unmistakably female voice made Corrin almost jump from the pool. Recognising it immediately, his eyes darted around until they located Flora at the opposite end of the pool.

The blue-haired maid stared at him, meeting his gaze with her wide grey eyes. Her hair was still in those familiar pigtails, even if they were a little unkempt from the water. The way the towel was wrapped around her accentuated her body's natural shape, and Corrin found it difficult not to stare like some pervert.

Both of them stared at each other, confused and embarrassed. The air was thick with tension and shame for a few moments, before Corrin spoke.

"Oh! F-Flora," the prince quickly broke the silence, his cheeks red. "I….uh….d-didn't know you were in here, I swear! I-I'll just…..go…."  
"Uh…" Flora, for her part, was almost speechless, unable to find the words. Mostly because of embarrassment, partially because of confusion and partially because she was busy staring herself at Corrin's rather toned chest.  
' _I….I really shouldn't be s-staring like this,'_ the maid admitted to herself. _'I really,_ really _shouldn't….'  
_ "I-It's fine, really," the maid reassured him. "I-It seems like an honest mistake! Really, I was actually a-about to go myself. The others still aren't here, and….."  
Corrin almost tripped over himself to leave the spring, running toward the door to wrench it aside long before Flora had waded close to that end of the room.

It didn't budge.

"…..what?" The tone of Corrin's exasperation was clear in his voice. He tried to slide the door open again to no avail. The door seemed stuck fast, as if glued shut. Flora tilted her head curiously, having stopped once Corrin did.  
"Corrin? What's wrong?"  
"…the door's stuck," the prince sighed, trying once more to pull the door open to no avail. He groaned, slumping against the door with his back to it.  
'… _great. So I'm stuck in a hot spring, almost naked, with my equally almost naked attractive female friend,'_ Corrin mentally summed up his situation, looking over at a concerned Flora. _'…this sounds like the setup to a terrible smut fanfic.'  
_ "Oh," the blue-haired maid frowned as she looked between Corrin and the door. "That's not good."  
"No," the prince concurred. "No it is not."

* * *

 **To be continued…..**

* * *

 **A/N: What is Camilla doing here? How will Corrin and Flora get out of this? Who is this Canas guy and what is he planning? Will Izana ever not care about his hair? Find out next time on Corrin Reacts!**

 **Alright, I feel like I've got to say something, before I sign off here. Now, this is a little late, all things considered, but if you guys are following the news, you'll know that 2016 decided to kick us all in the groin a few more times before leaving us for good. Whether it's another beloved celebrity leaving us behind or another terrible crime or another great accident costing dozens of lives (and you guys know what I'm talking about by now), this year hasn't been the greatest. I'm really in no position to do much about it, I'll be perfectly honest. You guys might feel the same.**

 **However, what I WILL try to do, for you guys out there who still care about this fic, is do what I've done for the last three or four years and hope to do when I'm older and can actually write worth a damn; I aim to entertain. True, the world sucks right now; we lost a lot of people to various acts of manmade assholery and just plain bad luck, the most powerful country in the world is led by a moldy orange in an ill-fitting suit, both of the countries I call home are led by a madman with an obsession with vigilantism and a person who in her tenure was more concerned with keeping kids from looking at lewd things on the Internet than saving our healthcare system, and most of the world looks set to bring xenophobic lunatics into power whose supposed solutions to everything are to blame it on the next unfortunate sap who happens to have a non-white skin colour.**

 **However, there's no real point in giving up because everything sucks; if nothing else, there's always the chance things'll get better. However, before then, I'll still be here, giving you guys much deserved laughs and trying my best to be an escape from the drama and sheer idiocy that real life can be sometimes. Here's hoping that, in reading my work, if nothing else, it'll keep you going until the next day, and the next, and keep you going until that chance comes, and everything gets better- or even better, you take that chance yourself, and make this world better, as it deserves to be.**

 **Happy New Year and thanks to everyone who's supported me thus far. I'm sorry that I got a little rambly there and a little political, but I felt this needed to be said at least once. Anyway, please leave your comments, reviews, thoughts, suggestions and ideas, and I hope you guys have a great day and a great year ahead! Until next time!**


	25. Corrin Reacts to Hot Springs, Part 2!

**Corrin Reacts to Hot Springs, Part 2!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Now, last time, I left you guys both with the worst rousing speech in the history of mankind and our lovely protagonists trapped in a hot steamy room while half-naked because of someone who's totally not Flora and Corrin's future son screwing around while Azura and the others are in the other room trying to figure out why Camilla would hang around a hot, steamy room with conveniently obscuring fog where Corrin's most likely half-naked. So, all in all, a typical day in the Reactsverse. Anyway, enough jabbering, let's get on with today's chapter!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise the Witch class (nerfed, of course) would be an in-game class. (Witch!Felicia….*drools* I mean what)  
** **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"No, it's definitely stuck," Corrin confirmed after the umpteenth tug on the sliding door. Flora frowned; the maid was standing next to him now, having tried to pull the door aside herself.  
"Is the door broken?", she asked, inspecting the top of the door to ensure there wasn't something caught on it. The prince shook his head.  
"I opened it just fine on the other side, and I didn't shut it particularly hard….."  
Flora exhaled, tapping her chin with her finger as she tried to consider all possibilities. "…..perhaps the wood's rotted or something similar?"  
"I doubt it. Izana's careful about maintenance- he likes making his things look nice- and the door looks new," Corrin replied, before looking at the door once more. "…well, I guess we're stuck in here until someone walks by to check on us."  
"That we are," Flora concurred. It was by this time that Corrin had noticed that Flora had been averting his gaze for some reason; her grey eyes were directed towards his feet rather than his face.  
"…..Flora."  
"Yes?"  
"Are you alright? Is something bothering you?"  
"…..n-not at all, why?" The slight quiver in her voice betrayed her.  
"What's wrong? Is it Jakob again? Work?"

"…..it's just…we're almost naked, alone in a room together," the maid explained, her cheeks slightly red from embarrassment. "This is just like those….. _novels_ ….."

Corrin already knew exactly what kind of novels Flora was talking about. He blushed at the thought of that.  
' _Do that? W-With Flora? …I really should get my head out of the gutter,'_ the prince mentally berated himself. It was silly to think that he could do that with her. They were simply friends, after all. Just like he and Azura.  
"I should….probably be quiet," Flora suggested more to herself, clearly thinking much the same thing as her friend. "Sorry."  
"For what?"  
"I might have just made our wait here slightly more awkward," she explained, clearly feeling guilty, judging from her cast-down eyes and slight tugging frown.  
"No, no, it's fine," the prince nervously chuckled, smiling to ease the tension. "This whole situation's naturally awkward anyway."  
It had an immediate effect; her face lightened, and she looked visibly relieved. She giggled as Corrin finished his sentence.  
"It is, isn't it?"  
"It already seems like the beginning of one of those weird stories Shura told about his bandit days…." Corrin sighed, sitting down and leaning with his back resting on the panelling. The maid sat beside him, close enough to be within intimate distance but not close enough to touch. It was at that point Corrin took a moment to look at the woman he was trapped with- well, take a closer look at her than he usually did.

Flora was not an unattractive woman, all things told. She was certainly a girl, Corrin noted; she wasn't especially curvy, but her body was lean, born of arduous training and natural luck. Her azure hair was well-groomed- Corrin never quite understood how she kept her ponytails so straight- and smelled faintly of mint. Her skin was pale as porcelain, dewy with water from the springs. Her face was round; though it was a point of concern of her sometimes and she resembled her sister to an extent, Flora's face seemed more serious and more mature.

It was her eyes that drew Corrin in, though, her grey eyes. They could be stern and stoic, as the façade that she put up tended to be; they could be happy and emotional, when she had reason to be. For some reason, it was her eyes that caught Corrin; not her blue hair and not her body, but her eyes.

"Corrin."

Flora's voice shook him from his trance. The prince blinked, as if woken from a daydream, looking up at her.  
"W-wuh? Yes?"  
The maid's cheeks were flushed, mostly by the heat but somewhat from embarrassment. "You've been staring at me for the last…five minutes."  
"I-I have?" The prince seemed genuinely surprised. He looked away guiltily. "S-sorry about that. I…..don't know what's wrong with me today. Must be the heat."  
"Oh, okay," Flora nodded, looking away from Corrin now. "…we should probably talk about something else. To pass the time."  
It was left unsaid that it was also to stop things getting awkward. They were, after all, naked with only two layers of cotton to hide from each other.  
' _Seriously, what's wrong with me? Flora's good-looking, but…..'_ Corrin thought carefully.

* * *

"I see, I see," Camilla smiled, hugging her younger sister to her side. "So, Corrin's here, hm?"  
Elise nodded cheerfully, completely oblivious to what was going on. "Yup! It's all thanks to Corrin! And Izana!"  
Azura lifted an eyebrow. "Yes, Izana invited us, sister dear. May I ask why you're here?"  
"Hm?" Camilla looked over at the songstress. "Oh? Well, Izana is a mutual friend of ours, is he not? I merely wished to make use of his hot-springs. These are supposed to be the best in the world, after all. Even if I can't indulge my…..usual way of bathing."  
Camilla seemed to chafe at having to wear the towel. Elise was oblivious and Azura didn't care, but Felicia blushed the moment she realised.  
"A-ah! You….swim like that?!"  
"The water feels cool on your body after a day of hard work," the older princess explained, smiling teasingly. "It's a luxury I can sometimes ill-afford."  
"Speaking of luxuries….", the songstress started, turning to Felicia. "Felicia, do you mind coming with me a moment?"  
"Huh?"  
"I just need to speak with you a moment," Azura said as she began wading out of the spring. "Why don't you two occupy yourselves for a minute?"  
"Oooh! Oooh! Water fight!" Elise chirped, splashing her sister in the face almost as soon as Azura started. Camilla dramatically fell back, as if caught off-guard.  
"Ah! So soon! Sister dear, how could you?"  
She splashed her younger sister back, who giggled. The two women splashed each other in a friendly match of water fighting as Felicia and Azura left the room, sliding the panel behind them.

….

When the panel was shut behind them and Camilla out of earshot, Azura fixed Felicia with a meaningful stare.  
"I think Camilla's here to do something with Corrin," the songstress bluntly explained, getting right down to business. "She's not here for the hot-springs."  
"How do you know that?" Felicia inquired, confused. "She could just be here for the springs…."  
"No, the way she spoke when Elise told her Corrin was here was too….elated. She's here for Corrin."  
The pink-haired maid had a confused expression on her face. "…..but….why here? Why not back at home?"  
"It's too well-defended. Too many defences. It's Corrin's home turf. Camilla couldn't catch him even by surprise, unless she had Beruka's help- and I know for a fact that Beruka and Benny are in Hoshido right now, because Orochi's the one showing them around and she can hardly keep her mouth shut."

She paused for a moment.  
"…..also, Corrin's half-naked and, I'll be honest, he does look nice in just a towel."  
"….o-oh…." Felicia looked down for a moment, before perking up. The fact that Azura had somehow seen Corrin in a towel before wasn't something she felt she should ask a question about. "What do we have to do?"  
"Well, we should divide and conquer. You have to find out what kind of scheme Camilla's running first," Azura explained, before looking down the hall. "While I find Corrin and tell him to get out of here. Once Corrin's safe, we meet back up and tell Corrin what's going on."  
"What about Elise? Do we get her into the plan?"  
"Corrin would kill me if I got Elise involved in antics without him knowing," the songstress replied, shaking her head. "No, it's just us two."  
"Alright! …..I think," Felicia looked around, still frowning. "…you know, Flora's taking a long while to get dressed. D-do you think she's alright?"  
"I'll check on her," the songstress reassured her. A small smile on her face, she gestured back towards their spring. "Go back in, she'll probably come in soon."  
The pink-haired maid gazed at her feet, moving about awkwardly, before taking Azura's suggestion and walking back in. The songstress, meanwhile, stared back towards the women's changing room.

'… _there's something going on here,'_ she thought suspiciously. _'Flora's missing, Camilla's trying something….there's antics afoot. '_

Then…  
' _Heh. Afoot. I've always wanted to use that word.'_

* * *

 _Meanwhile…._

"…..and that's how Niles ended up wearing a maid costume and Laslow won a whole round of drinks on him," Corrin finished his story. Flora giggled, covering her mouth.  
"Is that really how that happened?"  
"Pretty much," the prince confirmed, chuckling himself. "Niles enjoyed dressing up a little _too_ much, so it kinda defeated the point of losing a bet, but Laslow and I had a field day."  
The blue-haired maid sighed, shaking her head. "You really do get well with everyone. I'm a little jealous of how you do that."  
"Well…." Corrin shrugged. "I mean, Saizou hates my guts, and Takumi's always around…."  
Flora frowned, knowing about all this. "Those two are the exceptions. You never really seem to argue with anyone apart from those two."  
"Heh, fair enough."  
The blue-haired maid looked down at her lap, shuffling in place. "…you know, I…..never really had friends growing up in the Ice Tribe."  
"Really?" Corrin lifted an eyebrow quizzically. "Why?"  
"Well, I always had to run errands for Father. Felicia always got off easy because she did so well in her training," Flora explained, a hint of bitterness at her father clear in her voice. "I was expected to shoulder the burden."

"Why?"

"…..Father wants me to take over the Tribe one day, as you know. He expects me to be able to deal with the burden of governing the tribe," Flora continued. "The errands were mostly to deal with government."  
Corrin's smile faded. The earlier cheerful mood had dissipated, to be replaced by a sense of realisation for both of them.

After all, this couldn't last forever. Flora and Corrin were friends, and would always be friends. That would never change; they were too close for that. But one day, Flora would have to leave Fort Corrin to take over the Ice Tribe from her father, and eventually everyone else would move on; Elise, certainly, would move out eventually to seek herself in the world, and perhaps Felicia and Jakob and Azura would find partners of their own to start their own lives with.

The prince felt a slight twinge at his heart at thinking that Flora and Azura- along with the rest of his close friends- could eventually disappear from his life.  
"…do you really….want to take over the Ice Tribe?", Corrin asked plaintively. Flora looked at him, curious.  
"…..what do you mean?"  
"I mean…..do you _want_ to? Is this really what you want?"  
"I…..well…." the maid looked away, sighing. After a moment, she had gathered her answer. She drew in a deep breath, looking back up at her friend.  
"…..it is my duty," she stated matter-of-factly. "Just as Lord Xander and Lord Ryoma must be the Kings of Nohr and Hoshido, I must go and lead my people."

'… _.even if there are places I would rather be,'_ Flora left unsaid, as she gazed at Corrin. _'…..and people I would prefer to stay with.'_

Corrin's expression was difficult to read; he seemed troubled by that, but also disbelieving and at the same time confused. Flora tilted her head, trying to read his face with difficulty.  
'… _..I never was good at this,'_ the maid admitted to herself. _'Felicia was always better at reading expressions- not that she was good at it either, but….'_

A few moments passed. She said what felt natural.  
"…..But we'll always be friends," she finally added, a small reassuring smile on her face. "Even if we are apart, that won't change."  
Whatever Corrin had been feeling, this did the trick. The darkness on his face disappeared, and his expression lightened up again.  
"Well, until then, we might as well enjoy ourselves, hm?" The prince laughed cheerfully. Flora released a small sigh of relief.  
' _Thank the gods he's not too sad. After all the effort he puts into my happiness, it'd be unfair of me to do that to him….'_ the maid thought to herself. _'…..even if I hardly deserve his attention.'  
_ She nodded in agreement. "Yes, of course. Even if we _are_ locked inside here and can't get out."  
Corrin smiled again. "Yeah."

Corrin's smile was the kind of smile that was infectious. Flora never quite understood why; maybe it was because the man himself was so genuinely kind and happy that it somehow leeched into reality. Maybe it was that he simply was that handsome; she could hardly deny that her master and friend was fairly attractive, after all. Maybe it was a combination of the two.

She liked seeing Corrin smile, even if he always did. It always made her day better, whether the smile was directed at her or not.  
'… _you know…..he really does look handsome,'_ Flora contemplated, chuckling quietly as her gaze travelled slowly southwards to Corrin's toned chest, which was glistening with droplets of water from the steam condensing upon his warm skin. He wasn't particularly muscular or toned, truth be told, but he looked lithe enough for anyone. He smelled faintly of oak and sweat, and-

"….got you doing it, have I? Like what you see?"  
Flora was snapped out of her trance by Corrin's gently teasing voice. He smirked mischievously.  
"You've been staring at me for the last five minutes."  
"Oh." Her cheeks reddened as she put her right hand to it. "I-I'm sorry. Is it bothering you? I'll look away."  
'… _what's coming over me today?'_ Flora asked herself, somewhat concerned. _'I feel so odd when I look at Corrin, as if…no, impossible. I don't feel like that for him. Right?'  
_ "No, no, it's okay," the prince assured her. "I mean, there's nothing else to look at here, so….."  
Sensing the subject was going to get awkward, he changed the subject very quickly.  
"Man, when is someone going to get down here? We've been here for a quarter of an hour. Wait, weren't Azura and the others waiting for you?"  
Flora nodded in response, trying to avoid Corrin's gaze. Corrin left that to be uncommented upon.  
"…..maybe they might find us here. I'm still wondering why nobody's come down to check on us…."

* * *

 _Meanwhile, near the staircase…._

"No, it's fine! I got this! Lord Izana said so! I'll take care of this, so please, take a break!"  
"Oh…..I see," a young maid in Izumian servant garb nodded, walking away from the blue-haired young man, currently dressed as a butler. The moment she was out of earshot, he wiped the sweat from his brow.  
"Man, that was close," he sighed in relief, looking around the room to ensure nobody could see him. "I thought I'd get caught then."  
He took one more look around before striding over to the far wall of the room he was in, where a small peephole had been drilled, with a small telescope extending across from this peephole into the other springs. Peering through it, he looked closely to see Flora and Corrin, speaking to each other while sitting by the door, with both of their cheeks red. Both of them were acting anxiously and nervously, as if there was some sort of unknown tension in the air.  
The youth smirked, pumping his fist. "Perfect. Mom and dad'll get around to it soon, and my plan will have gone off without a hitch!"  
He leaned against the wall, resting his head on his hands. "I'll just have to make sure nobody-"

"What do you think you're doing?"

The youth whirled around to see Kana, her blue hair currently slicked back with a white headband. He smiled cheerfully, closing his eyes.  
"I'm expediting the process, sister dear."  
"Janus, you know this isn't what we came back for," Kana berated him, highly irritated with her brother. "Be serious."  
Janus rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "You're _always_ like this, Kana! Come on, who made you the boss? Besides you being the _older_ one?"  
"We agreed that if we went back to help them fight Anankos, you wouldn't try to make Mama and Papa get together before they're supposed to. How can you be so immature?"  
"You're the one who still calls them 'Mama' and 'Papa', Kana!" Janus retorted, sticking his tongue out. "Besides, the aphrodisiacs I used just amplify what's there already, sheesh. Not like I'm trying to make them love each other before they do."  
A vessel twitched in Kana's eyebrow. "Janus, you know this is _exactly_ what Odin warned us about when he taught us how to travel back in time. Interfering with causality is _not_ good."  
"If you stop me, they'll know we're watching them and you'll get in trouble with Mom and Dad. What then?"  
Kana huffed irritably crossing her arms. "You take too much after Papa."  
"And you take too much after Mom," the younger sibling replied, grinning. The older sister simply left after attempting to retort, but not without a parting shot.  
"Papa won't be stupid enough to fall for it, and Mama probably knows about it by now."  
She walked out of the room. When his sister was out of earshot, Janus groaned.  
"….man, why does Kana have to be _such_ a killjoy?" he complained exasperatedly. "Well, whatever. Soon, I'll finally have one over Dad."  
Giggling, he returned to watching his future parents through the peephole. The discussion with his sister caused him to miss a servant with a tray of wooden cups and a jug of wine passing by him.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, downstairs…._

"….she's gone," Azura shut the door to the female changing room. Flora was nowhere to be found within, though her maid uniform was folded perfectly across one of the benches and her things were next to it, also in perfect order.

The songstress looked around. "…..maybe Flora got lost. I doubt it, but the signs here might've been smudged by all the steam in here."  
Indeed, Azura could hardly see through the steam, forced to squint at some points to see through it.  
' _This is getting really weird,'_ she mused. _'Where could Flora have gone? Unless…..Camilla had something to do with it.'  
_ This struck her as a stupid thought. Camilla wasn't the type to take out friends as potential romantic rivals.  
'… _well, even if she isn't, I'd better find Corrin quick,'_ Azura concluded. _'Whatever's really going on around here, I know this isn't right.'  
_ She immediately set down the corridor, sliding the doors open to check for Corrin.

…..

 _Back in the women's spring….._

"You…..may have won the battle…." Elise panted out, drenched and dishevelled from the Glorious War of Sisterly Splashing she had engaged in with her sister. "….but I promise you….I will win the war!"  
Camilla calmly laughed. "Sister dear, I look forward to that day."  
Felicia couldn't resist the temptation to laugh herself despite what she had to do. "Y-you two really get along, huh?"  
"Elise is just the most wonderful little sister! How could I not?" Camilla replied, hugging her little sister to her side and having her hug reciprocated. "How do you and Flora get along, out of interest?"  
"I…..I'm always a problem for Flora, but she's always nice, and helps me, and she never stays mad at me…." the pink-haired maid averted her gaze guiltily.  
The older princess smiled lightly. "Don't think of yourself like that. She's your sister, and sisters should help one another, after all."  
"I-I know, but still….." Felicia sighed resignedly. "I really t-think I should b-be more of a help to her…."  
Suddenly, the panel door slid open, as a lady stepped inside, looking around. She was carrying a tray of wooden cups and a jug of wine.  
"Is Lord Corrin in here?" she inquired curiously. Elise looked up, shaking her head vigorously.  
"No, that's my brother!," she chirped. Camilla's lower lip stuck out slightly as she stood up and walked out of the spring towards her.  
"Are these for Corrin?"  
"U-uh, yes, someone left a request for wine earlier for Lord Corrin," the servant shakily explained. Camilla smiled sweetly at her.  
"Don't worry about it, dear. I'll take it to him. Your clothes might get messy in this steam."  
"Oh, you will?" The servant's eyes lit up. "Thank you! I'm new here, so I-I don't know all the rooms here…."  
The older princess nodded, replacing a stray strand of lilac hair and putting her hands out to receive the tray as it was given to her. "No, the pleasure's mine."  
The servant girl smiled back, before scurrying off.

Felicia, who was watching this whole exchange, finally felt it click. She knew exactly what Camilla was planning now.  
' _I can't let her leave with that wine tray!'_ She concluded. _'For Corrin!'  
_ She strolled hurriedly towards Camilla, hurrying to grab her. Of course, her feet had little purchase on the wet stone floor, and instead of grabbing Camilla, Felicia splattered onto the tray, splashing red wine all over the princess's towel.  
"Ah!" Camilla jumped back, barely managing to right herself and stop the jug from tipping out further. Felicia, privately, was thankful for this accident, but she couldn't let it show.  
"O-Oh! I'm so sorry! L-let me-"  
"No, it's fine! I'll just go get this to Corrin and change towels," the princess insisted. Felicia caught the back of her towel and tugged, but instead of stopping her, the towel slid off….

….leaving Camilla completely naked. The princess didn't seem to notice or care and left the room.

"…we've got trouble," Felicia squeaked out as Elise looked up, staring dumbfounded at Felicia.  
"Is everything okay? Did I miss something?"

* * *

 _Meanwhile…._

Corrin frowned, looking to the girl next to him. "We've been here almost half an hour and nobody's come for us."  
Flora nodded, looking around the room once more. "…I don't think they know we're gone. Should we try to get out of here again?"  
The prince sighed, standing back up with the maid as they studied the panelling again. "Alright. We need to find a way out of here."  
"Do you have any ideas?"  
"…I'm going to try to punch the panelling open and wrench the door open that way."  
"What?" Flora stared at him, confused. "That's not going to work, is it?"  
"The panelling's weak enough that if I hit it with the right amount of force, I can break it," he explained as he reared up. "Even if I can't wrench the door open from the outside, I can signal for help."  
Flora stepped aside, letting Corrin do his thing.  
He stepped back, breathing in deeply, before slamming his fist towards the door. His foot slid and spun on the wet stones, and instead of hitting the panelling, he twirled and fell upon Flora, who managed to catch him in time to keep their combined weight from hitting the stone floor too hard.  
Instead, Corrin was sprawled atop her, two layers of cotton separating their naked bodies, and staring straight at her.

The world seemed to stop for a second, as her eyes met his, and the tension that had been building up felt ready to release.  
"…C-Corrin…." Flora uttered with a trembling voice, half-scared, half-yearning. "…..a-are you…."  
He stared at her, as if lost. She smiled, slowly nodding at him.  
"….b-be gentle with me."

The prince breathed heavily, staring at her, his eyes beginning to glisten with hunger for the beautiful woman beneath him. Sensation seemed to be amplified in this moment, as she closed her eyes, her lips slightly open for a kiss and Corrin leaned in, his own eyes closed, his lips ready to meet hers, his heart throbbing with passion and the air smelling of sweet nectar as he began to close the distance-

' _Wait.'_

This rational thought pierced the haze of lust that had enshrouded his mind like light through fog. Corrin's eyes flickered open, staring at Flora beneath him, who was beginning to moan and squirm sweetly.

' _Sweet scent…..sweet scent….wait….'_

He shook her gently, a sense of urgency building in him.  
"Flora, wait."  
"H-huh?" Her grey eyes flickered open, staring up at him. Almost instantly, the haze faded from her eyes too, and she seemed to have been shaken from a trance. "…..Corrin, why are you-"  
"Do you smell that? Something sweet?"  
The maid sniffed the air, before nodding. "…..what is that?"  
"…..Aphrodisiac. We've been drugged." Corrin struggled to pull himself off of the maid, the throes of lust still running through him. He helped her up as they both gazed around.  
 _'That explains all the weird thoughts we've been having!',_ both immediately thought, ignoring the possibility of anything else happening.

…

"NO!" Janus cried as his scheme was foiled, Corrin and Flora prying themselves apart without doing a thing. "They figured it out! Uh…dammit, I need an alternate plan of attack! What would Dad do….."  
He looked towards the bottle of aphrodisiac he had still left. Maybe he could still sneak around and splash it directly on them.  
With no time to lose, he took the bottle and rushed downstairs.

…..

"Where could we have been drugged?" Flora asked, confused. "We haven't eaten anything!"  
"No, of course it wouldn't be," the prince concluded. "No, we've been breathing it in the whole time. Whoever tried to dose us, tried to dose us by hiding it all in the steam!"  
Flora's eyes widened in surprise. "…..oh no. What do we do? Do you know how to counteract this?"  
"Yes, yes, we need to get out of it," he nodded hurriedly, looking about frantically. "Quickly, before we end up like that again. Otherwise…..I don't think we'll be able to stop ourselves."  
The maid blushed profusely, but otherwise maintained her composure. "What do you think we should do then?"  
"….the aphrodisiac- if it's the right one I'm thinking of- freezes at a higher temperature than water," Corrin explained, snapping his fingers. "Flora, if you freeze the air around us, the aphrodisiac should freeze and we should be able to break out."  
"Understood!" the maid replied, before closing her eyes and concentrating, summoning the power of the Ice Dragon that ran through her veins. Slowly, the air began to cool despite the heat from the spring, unable to keep up against Flora's magic.  
Meanwhile, Corrin closed his eyes, before staring at the panelled door. He knew exactly what he'd have to do.

' _Here goes nothing. I'm_ really _sorry about this, Izana. I swear, I'll pay for it.'_

With a yell, Corrin barged the door with his shoulder.

…..

Azura slid the door closed, sighing. No sign of Corrin and Flora.  
"…..you're kidding me," she complained. "Where are those-"

Her answer was located in the form of a door breaking apart, Corrin slamming against the opposite wall and pink ice crystals skittering across the floor behind him. Azura didn't even blink an eye.  
"…I'm not even going to ask."  
Corrin looked to his side the moment he recovered, Flora ambling out of the spring. He raised his hand.  
"Oh. Hey!"  
"I must've missed quite the show," Azura teased. Flora and Corrin's cheeks reddened at the thought of what they'd almost done.  
"…yes," the maid nodded slowly. "…..let's never talk about that again."  
"Agreed," Corrin concurred hastily. The songstress raised an eyebrow.  
"Now you've made me curious. What happened in there?"  
"…long story, not going to talk about it."  
"Yes, I'm with Corrin on that."  
"…fair enough, you two. Come on, then."

…..

Janus ran downstairs, the bottle of aphrodisiac in his hands.  
"Come on, come on, I can still salvage this antic!"  
He looked around, trying to ensure that there were no witnesses. In doing so, he missed the large, Camilla-shaped obstacle right in front of him and he collapsed face-on directly with her back.  
The older princess was knocked forwards, almost dropping her tray. She sighed, closing her eyes and sighing, turning behind her instinctively to see who had bumped her.  
"Please, watch yourself next time-"

However, Camilla had entirely remained oblivious to the fact of her nakedness.

A fact that Janus could see in full display.

"A-AUNT CAMILLA! O-OH GODS!" Janus shrieked the moment he realised that his aunt was in front of him, completely naked. He ran the way he came.  
"W-what?" The older princess tilted her head. She followed him, entirely confused. "What's wrong? Why are you running away?"

Behind them, the door slid open, as Jakob, clad in only a towel, poked his head outside, looking around.  
"…..and this is why I refuse to take a vacation around here," he declared self-assuredly. "I can hardly ever get some peace and quiet."

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: RIP Janus, RIP Camilla and RIP peace.**

 **Anyway, next chapter, Corrin Reacts to Snow and Scales (yes, a Corrin/Flora fic), courtesy of the one and only legend,** **ThatOneGuyThatWrites** **! Assuming we're still good, that is. (Feel free to call me out if we're not.).**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, suggestions, thoughts and reviews, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	26. Special Chapter: Snow and Scales, Part 1

**Corrin Reacts to Snow and Scales, Part 1!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Now, you guys kept asking for Florrin fics. Given that, in this fandom, Florrin doesn't exactly have a thousand fans chomping at the bit to take the challenge on (partially because of that blasted- and completely non-canon, to boot- Spooky Scramble conversation), it was a really difficult challenge to find someone who writes Florrin at all. Even harder to find Male!Corrin/Flora, and this is after quite a bit of searching both on and AO3; not that I can't understand why Fem!Corrin/Flora's more popular, their support's WAY more romantic. Luckily, however, we did find a guy in the end- none other than the man, the myth, the legend,** **ThatOneGuyWhoWrites** **! If you're reading this, cheers, you're cool, and more power to you for giving this unloved pairing some love. And speaking of unloved pairings, let's give this one some love!  
DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise that conversation in Spooky Scramble would've actually changed. (You know the one.)**

 **Snow and Scales belongs to** **ThatOneGuyWhoWrites** **.**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Aphrodisiac? In my hot springs?" Izana raised an eyebrow quizzically. Corrin tapped his desk, frowning at the duke like a parent admonishing his child.  
"Yes, Izana, in your hot springs," Azura, who was sitting next to Corrin with her hands in her lap, added. The expression on her face was unamused; she'd been told exactly what happened and, being as invested as she was in the whole plan around Flora, she was equally irritated. "Aphrodisiac in the mist. It was well-hidden."  
"Oh. That certainly makes for an interesting night," Izana mused.  
"Was there anyone you let in?"  
"Well, there was a friend of yours. He said he knows you and wanted to snoop around the hot springs. I, being the _grrrrracious_ housekeeper I am, couldn't say no!"  
Corrin fixed him with an exasperated stare. He stared at Izana for a few moments, trying to gather what he had just been told.

After a few moments, the prince spoke.

"Izana…has it ever occurred to you that showing off isn't the best response to everything?"  
"I also might've let him do it because it was funny," the archduke replied with a teasing tone to his voice.  
Azura snorted dismissively. "Didn't think you were into that kind of party."  
"Two-person pool party? Almost the best kind."  
Corrin sighed, rubbing his right temple. "And for once, I agree with Takumi on something."  
"What?"  
"You really can be annoying sometimes."  
"Oh! Surely you don't mean that?" Izana asked in a teasing voice, before clearing his throat. "But…..on a serious note, if you want to know who did it, I can tell you. He was pretty short, his eyes were red, looked about your age…had Flora's hair color, actually."  
"Her hair? What, like a relative?" the songstress clarified.  
"Blue isn't exactly rare, darling. Why, you and Beruka share the same shade of pastel-blue! Anyway, he also said he went by the name of…..Canas, yes. I'm almost certain he took that from a book on my shelf, but there you go."  
The prince sighed. "So a guy with light blue hair, short, red, early 20s, goes by 'Canas'. Seriously, Canas? Must be a gamer, this one."  
"Well, if you're done with me," Izana stood up, pushing the chair in. "I have important duke things to be getting on with. I'm still in charge of Izumo, after all."  
"You're holding another party, aren't you."  
"Parties are basically diplomacy!" Izana explained with a grin on his face. "Besides, it's nice to get to know who you're dealing with, hm? And _someone_ has to take the burden, after all."  
With that, he left. Azura spoke, breathing deeply.  
"I guess that's all we can go on. This Canas figure sounds…dangerous. In the pranking way." She fixed Corrin with a meaningful gaze. "We need to stop whoever it is."  
Corrin nodded slowly. "Yep. I'll ask around and see if someone's seen him before. A prankster who isn't one of us…I wonder who that is?"

He made a mental note to make a meeting with the Antic Order later about that. Orochi's experiments going wrong was one thing; a direct, targeted prank at Corrin himself as another. Something was going on, and someone was intent on pairing him with Flora. This could not be had; Flora would hardly be interested in Corrin anyway, and this interfered with his plan to pair her with Jakob- something he still needed to figure out how to do. Between the Festival and everything else that had transpired, Corrin had hardly had the time to sit down and make a game plan.  
' _Besides, there's better people for Flora than me to fall in love with,'_ Corrin wistfully noted. _'Like Jakob.'  
_ Felicia suddenly popped in, poking her head around the door. "Hey, Corrin? Uh, Xander and Ryoma want you to meet them here, later."  
Azura looked over to Corrin. "Is he in trouble? Do they know?"  
"What? N-no!" The pink-haired maid shook her head quickly. "No, no, they don't know about t-the Antic Order, if that's what you mean. No, t-they just want to talk to Corrin. Something about a-a festival they want to plan."  
The prince sighed in relief, writing down a note for himself for later. "Alright. Tell 'em to come over in the afternoon. And without their entire entourage this time. Kagerou, Laslow and the others are fine, but having a thousand different courtiers in the same room…..isn't great."  
Felicia nodded hastily. "Oh, and also, Flora wants t-to talk to you! It's about…..w-what happened in the springs."  
The songstress raised an eyebrow devilishly. "Oooh. This ought to be fun. Think she might want to finish what you started?"  
"Very funny, Azura," Corrin exasperatedly retorted, before nodding to Felicia. "Uh, tell her she can come in."  
The songstress stood up. "And I should probably not be here for this. I'm many things, but I'm not a voyeur."  
"You _do_ realise nothing actually happened? We didn't even kiss!"  
Azura shrugged casually. "I'm not judging, Corrin. It's not uncommon, you know, the best friend falling for the best friend he's trying to hook up with someone else. Happens all the-"  
"Just get out."  
The songstress, knowing her purpose was served, left the exasperated Corrin with a mischievous chuckle, bumping past Felicia at the door. The maid stared at Corrin.  
"O-out of curiosity…..d-do you….you know, _like_ my sister like that?"  
"Of course not, don't be silly," Corrin reassured her, smiling. "She and I are good friends and I'd rather not ruin that. Besides, she'd be better off with someone apart from me. Call her in."

* * *

"….so, what happened in there, that means nothing, right?" Flora inquired almost too hastily as she sat facing Corrin. The two of them had been staring at each other for the last five minutes, trying to figure out what to say. Neither of them could quite figure out what to say.  
Corrin breathed in deeply. "No. It doesn't. It was the aphrodisiacs."  
"Oh, thank gods," the blue-haired maid was palpably relieved. The concern that had clouded her face immediately dissipated, allowing her to smile a little. "I….well, I mean, that would've been awkward?"  
"I know, right?" The prince nervously laughed. "I mean, we're friends, after all. We can't ruin that."  
"No, not at all," Flora concurred. "I'd hate to lose you as a friend over…whatever that was. And anyway, something like that would be improper! A prince falling in love with his servant…."  
Corrin smirked teasingly. "Well, I could waive the rules a little-"  
"C-Corrin!"  
"I'm kidding. Sorry. You know I do that a lot," the prince raised his hands apologetically. "Just trying to defuse the tension."  
Flora sighed good-naturedly, smiling and shaking her head. She giggled a little, covering her mouth. "You did that well. Thanks. I did need that."  
"…well, we might as well check out some fanfics. Are you busy right now?"  
"No, not at all, surprisingly."  
The prince smiled at that. "Alright. Hopefully, we can actually get through this without anything going…."  
As he opened his laptop, the first thing that leapt at him was that the description of the fanfic on his screen ended with 'Flora x Corrin'.

' _Oh boy.'  
_ Corrin squinted. He thought for a moment. Then he sighed for the umpteenth time, trying to close the window. The window refused to shut, however, despite Corrin's best attempts. He slumped in his chair.  
'… _..Azura, how mature. I swear, I'll get you back for this somehow."  
_ Flora blinked as she looked at what was troubling her friend so, before immediately looking to Corrin. "…we should read something else."  
"No, no, I'm not rising to Azura's bait," the prince shook his head. "If she wants to play this game, fine. Won't stop me. I'll get her back later."  
"What?"  
"I mean I'll have a talk with her later," Corrin smoothly replaced his earlier promise. "Alright, let's go read this then. It's probably not all that bad."  
"I-I see…." Flora slowly nodded, sidling up to her friend to look at the screen.  
' _Yes. It's just a story,'_ she reminded herself. _'This means nothing.'_

* * *

 _Chapter 1_

"Ah, this brings back old memories," Corrin remarked, chuckling. "Was it really that long ago now? It feels like it was yesterday we were playing around in the Northern Fortress."  
Flora nodded, smiling at that. "Those were hard days, but they were fun. This actually reminds me of our own games of hide-and-seek."  
The prince's eyes lit up. "You remember those? Oh, man, I've forgotten them by now!"  
"Yes. You were always easiest to find, even when Felicia only hid behind a potted plant," the blue-haired maid recalled wistfully. "We never could find Jakob easily, though. He was always the best at hiding."  
"Oh yeah," Corrin nodded in agreement. "Once took us two hours to find him. He'd hidden in the…kitchen?"  
"The pantry."  
"Ah, yeah, the pantry. I never understood how he fit into that cabinet. He wasn't that small."  
…..

 _Chapter 2_

"…zero to a hundred in one chapter," Corrin sardonically remarked. "Oh boy."  
Flora frowned, instinctively rubbing the skin on the back of her hand. "I mean…..my skin's not that cold..."  
"Couldn't you make yourself warm if you could control temperature like that?"  
"That's true," the maid nodded affirmatively. "People assume we only have power over the cold, but of course, a power like that comes with the opposite power too. We can make our surroundings colder and ourselves warmer…..and, as you know, we can take the cold in ourselves to warm someone else up."  
"…yeah," Corrin's voice faltered slightly. His mind had been, for a moment, drawn back to the knowledge that Flora had done precisely that to save his life. "….hey. I, uh, still need to say thanks, by the way, for doing that."  
Flora smiled. "You've said that a lot about that day. I should thank you, really."  
"For?"  
"If you hadn't tried to take me home, I…..well….I might've not met you properly, or Jakob or the others," the maid reminded him. "And…..I don't know what I would've done back in the Ice Tribe, now that I think about it. I think it's for the best that I ended up here, with you."

A moment passed in silence.

Flora's cheeks reddened. "Not like _that_ , I mean."  
"A man might take your meaning for another," Corrin gently teased her. She sighed.  
"You can be so mean sometimes."  
"I live to please."

….

 _Chapter 3_

"I really have to introduce you guys to board games," Corrin laughed. "I played quite a few while I was staying in the Outrealms. I had to share an apartment with a roommate and he _really_ loved those things."  
"Oh? Like chess?" Flora tilted her head curiously. The prince shook his head.  
"No. Munchkin. Or Monopoly. Or Cards Against Humanity. That one, I suspect, Niles would be _great_ at."  
"…..that last one doesn't sound very comforting," the maid pointed out, a suspect look on her face.  
"Yeah, you're right."  
"…..so you'll play it anyway, but not let Elise anywhere near it."  
Corrin sighed. "You know me too well. Anyway...Kana, again? Our daughter? If I had a kid, I'd name them something cooler. Like…Eurus. Or Janus. Kana doesn't have that ring to it for me, you know?  
"That first one sounds rather suspect too," Flora nodded slowly. "And I personally think Kana's a nice name for a child. It sounds poetic, in a Hoshidan way."  
"Well, I suspect you named our daughter here, then. Also, really? You cheated?"  
Flora smiled almost mischievously. "Well, against you, I think I'd need to. You'd play dirtily."  
"Of course not! How could you say such a thing? I'm a perfectly fair gamer! I never cheat actually yeah you're right I totally would."  
The maid burst into laughter. "I knew it!"  
"All's fair in love and war, like you say here."

….

 _Chapter 4_

Corrin nodded. "Yep. I think Elise really would be great with kids. She's basically a bigger version of one."  
"I don't think I'd trust her to watch over my children for a night, seeing what she does in the kitchen here," Flora replied, an irritated edge to her voice.  
"Well, she'd be good if Sakura was there to make sure she didn't destroy anything important….aaaand no, she joined in." Corrin groaned. "Gods, _three_ of 'em. One of them wreaks enough hell for you two. Jakob would have an aneurysm."  
"….an aneurysm?"  
"Oh, right, Outrealm thing. Never mind, that would change the tone of the chapter too much," the prince waved off his comment. "Also…..a necklace and a resort holiday?"  
"That doesn't sound as appealing after what happened in Izumo."  
"And it sounds pretty boring," the prince remarked. "If it were up to me, I'd show you my love with something _way_ more exciting."  
Flora chuckled. "It's nice to know that you'd do that for me."  
"Well, if any man were to have you, you'd be well worth it. Or woman. I don't judge."  
The maid smiled at that. "That's sweet of you. Thanks."  
"Hardly. I'm just being honest."

…

 _Chapter 5_

Corrin sighed. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Xander and Ryoma. Kings of Hoshido and Nohr. War heroes. Literal champions of their peoples. And they still compete with each other over who looks more attractive."  
"Well, I suppose they want to prove who the better older brother is," Flora suggested. "And it's hard to shake old habits."  
"True," the prince nodded as he read the chapter.  
' _Aaaaand this reminds me of the Festival now. I knew watching Flora sleep would come back to bite me. Well, time she_ never _finds out about that!'_

* * *

 _Chapter 6_

Flora snickered at the idea of Corrin in a maid costume. "As confident as I am in your ability to wear costumes, I really don't think you can pull _that_ one off."  
"Thanks for believing in me," the prince deadpanned. "And why not? Kaze and Silas totally did."  
"Well, dressing like that's not all that comfortable," the maid pointed out. "The thighs are totally impractical, for one."  
"…why don't you say anything, then? I'm sure I could grab Oboro or something to help make a better maid uniform."  
Flora shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'm used to it by now. And anyway, I'd rather not be a bother. It's just a minor trifle. I could wear longer stockings."  
Corrin decided not to take up the matter further. This was Flora's decision, after all. Instead, he decided to change the chapter.

….

 _Chapter 7_

"Water Sign 14. Really." Corrin sighed. "Was that the best he had? Might as well have added 'Dual Destinies' to the end, add on the extra knock-off factor."  
Flora chuckled. "It's just like Elise to say that. I don't understand why she'd think _I'm_ a good big sister, though. I mean, there's no way you and I would…..you know….."  
"Well, you have enough experience watching Felicia's back, and you're pretty cool, no pun intended," the prince pointed out. "Even if there's _absolutely_ no chance of you actually becoming her big sister, she sees you as this mature, awesome lady. Something she'd really like to be. And calling you her big sister really is her way of saying that."  
The maid smiled. "I-I see. It's a…..high compliment, coming from her. I know I don't deserve it, but-"  
"Oh, come off it. Of course you do," the prince reassured her. "One day, you'll see you really are a better person than you think you are."  
' _I also think it'd be awkward to mention right now that, unlike this Corrin, I actually_ do _have a thing for maids,'_ Corrin mused to himself as he saw his story counterpart's reaction to Flora's maid outfit. _'Not Flora, though. That would be awkward. Or Felicia- besides, she's into Kaze.'_

….

 _Chapter 8_

"If I were to buy a ring for someone, I really don't think I'd trust this Kana to buy it," Corrin pointed out. "Seems like she'd tell everyone."  
"Why…..don't you wear a ring like the other royals?" Flora inquired. "I'm curious. I've never seen you wear one."  
Corrin fixed her with a stare, before gesturing down to what he was wearing. "I don't think I'd need a _ring_ to look like this. Also, some technicality involving Valla and everything else. I don't know. We're not in _Aftermath_!"  
"Ah. I see," Flora nodded slowly, not quite getting that last part. "…..Rinkah. Well, I suppose there's _worse_ things to disguise the word 'ring' as. I wonder what Rinkah's getting up to."  
Corrin nodded. "I know, right? Haven't seen Rinkah in a while. I wonder where she is."

 _Meanwhile….._

"This is why _I_ should have held the map!" Rinkah snapped irritably. Keaton carefully read the map again, examining it closely.  
"…..huh. I could've sworn we saw that tree before."  
"We're lost. I said this already an hour ago," Kaden called over, snuggling on a nearby rock in his fox form, his head nestled in his tails. "And if you guys paid attention, we could've gone and asked that pretty lady with the flowers, but nooooo."  
"Of course we should've! We've been travelling in _circles_ since!"  
The wolfskin rubbed the back of his head. "Gah. You're just angry 'cause you're hungry."  
"Of course I'm angry! I haven't eaten in an _hour_!" The Fire Tribe woman hotly protested. "We would've eaten by now if you hadn't decided to lead us around!"  
"I thought I knew the way back to Hoshido!"  
"We're in _NOHR!_ " Rinkah hissed, pointing at the distant Castle Krakenburg. "How could this _possibly_ be on the way to Hoshido?!"  
Kaden closed his eyes, trying to tune out the arguing between his travelling companions. He knew it was a terrible idea to trust Keaton with the map. Even more terrible for him to offer to show Rinkah around the world before she settled down.  
' _Naptime. Man, I miss hanging around Sakura. She's a good naptime partner. I wonder how she is?'_

…..

"…I have the oddest feeling she's not enjoying life too much right now," Corrin mused.  
Flora stared at him with wide eyes. "Huh. So do I. I wonder why."

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the early end. To compensate, I'll basically blitz through the other remaining chapters next time. It should make the next chapter around as long as this one, anyway. Also, I really need to fix my sleep schedule so there's that.**

 **Also, shout-out to ThatOneGuyWhoWrites for letting me do his work, as always. It's nice to have some great works to write about and it's even better when the peeps are cool about it.**

 **Anyway, so, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, suggestions, thoughts and reviews, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	27. Special Chapter: Snow and Scales, Part 2

**Corrin Reacts to Snow and Scales, Part 2!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Well, well. So, I bet I'm going to have people tell me about the Shadows of Valentia reveal, or the Fire Emblem Heroes reveal, or the other reveal about the Warriors crossover. And I ALSO bet that I'm going to end up having to react to those. Well, in the case of Shadows of Valentia (and yes, I do know it's in fact a remake of Gaiden), I'll save reacting to that when the game's out and I get it, because I inevitably will. A Reacts fic set in that world, on the other hand, is another question entirely that I can't actually answer, in part because I know almost nothing about the characters save that I like the look of them already.**

 **Now that we probably answered the majority of the reviews for this chapter, let's get on with the REAL stuff!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise the Maid/Butler class would remain a permanent fixture. (Granted, I'd like to see it called something like Steward or Footman and given a more interesting skill set, but apart from that…)**

 **Snow and Scales belongs to** **ThatOneGuyWhoWrites.**

 **All mentioned characters and franchises belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

 _Chapter 9_

"Azura and Kaze?" Flora raised an eyebrow curiously. "That's an interesting pairing."

Corrin smirked. "Well, I've got something to hit Azura back with for making us read this, at least. Wonder if she thought _that_ through."

"It's Azura. Do you really think that'll work?"

"…on second thought, you're right, it really won't," the prince conceded. Azura was, more or less, the queen of comebacks; even Corrin's guile couldn't keep up with it.

As they read over the part where Kilma asked Flora to return, Corrin breathed in sharply. He turned to his friend, a devilish gleam in his eyes.

"…..guess that's what I got to do to keep you from going back to the Ice Tribe, huh? Marry you? I guess I'm down for that."

The maid giggled. "I didn't know you wanted me around _that_ much."

"Well, you're good at cleaning house, and cooking…."

Flora looked offended. "Is that all you want me around for?"

"Kidding!" Corrin grinned cheekily. The maid closed her eyes, sighing and shaking her head. For a moment, the prince almost thought he'd genuinely angered her.

However, the moment after, a small, girlish laugh emerged from her mouth, relieving him.

"You really can be a bit of an idiot sometimes. Azura's right about that."

It was Corrin's turn to look offended. " _Flora_! You too? I really am surrounded by traitors!"

….

 _Chapter 10_

"Dog ears? Really?" Corrin frowned. "That ruins the whole 'badass llama dragon' thing I had going for me."

"I'm not sure Kaden and Keaton would take particularly well to that," Flora remarked.

"Well, Keaton wouldn't care. He's Keaton. It'd take a lot to piss him off," the prince replied. "But Kaden? Kaden might get annoyed we're taking away his cuddle quota."  
…..

 _Meanwhile…._

"DAMN IT, RINKAH!" Keaton yelped over the howling winds. "We're STILL nowhere near Hoshido!"

"I _told_ you two I should've had the m-map…." Kaden uttered, huddling right behind them.

Rinkah huffed, clutching the torn remains of the map to her chest. "You two are just cowards. We'll make it to Izumo soon. I can feel it in the winds."  
"Does this LOOK like Izumo?!" the wolfskin yelled, pointing to the distant Ice Tribe village. "You got us even more lost than I did! We're even farther into Nohr than we were a _day_ ago!"

"It was your idea to get us on this journey in the first place!"

"Yeah, well, who's idea was it to come along?"

"I wouldn't have come along if you'd suggested it!"

As Rinkah and Keaton bickered, the kitsune behind them shivered in the cold, not understanding how these two didn't freeze to death.

' _I swear, when these two get married, I don't envy whoever their children will be,_ ' Kaden thought, trying to keep himself warm in the face of the beating snow as he trudged close behind both of them.

….

"…..huh. Weird. I had the oddest feeling something stupid was going on," Corrin commented, rubbing the back of his neck.

"…..you mean he was serious about the cuddle quota?"

"Sakura makes up most of that now. Those two get along pretty well. Still, if he tries anything with her," Corrin casually remarked, as if he were talking about the weather. "I'll personally turn his fur into a coat."

"…you really don't like people messing with your younger sisters. I can understand; if someone were to do anything to Felicia," Flora admitted. "Although, I wouldn't say I'm nearly as…..vehement about it as you…."

"Elise and Sakura are innocent little cinnamon rolls and if someone does anything to compromise that, I'll make sure they'll pay. Probably painfully," Corrin remarked with a grin. "And now that that's settled, onwards?"

'… _..cinnamon roll?'_ Flora wondered what that was.

….

 _Chapter 11_

"Oh come on!" Corrin cried exasperatedly. "Can't she like dragons like normal children do?!"

Flora giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hand. "Well, maybe it fits you. You really do have a dog's loyalty, as they say."  
"Like, even _you_ got a polar bear costume! Polar bears are _at least_ threatening? Why a _dog_?!"

"…out of curiosity, would you actually do something like this, if you had a daughter?" Flora inquired, genuinely curious.

"Oh, of course I would," the prince readily admitted. "She'd be my daughter. I couldn't just deny her that. Or maybe I could. I can't say, for obvious reasons."

"I see."

"…..if Elise caught me in that get-up, though, I probably would _never_ hear the end of it," the prince shuddered at the thought of his younger sister catching him like that. "Actually, make it her and Azura. At least Elise would forget about it after a few days, Azura'll hold onto it forever."

…..

 _Chapter 12_

"A-ah…." Flora's cheeks reddened. "So, that's what this chapter's about."

Corrin groaned. "Aaaaand now we're at the parts Azura wants us to see. Great. And Felicia _had_ to walk in on us….."

"T-that's what you're worried about?!"

"I mean, the whole _story_ is about us as a couple, Flora. I'm almost impressed Azura found it in the first place. Barely anyone pairs us together in the fandom. Something about some DLC or something. You wouldn't understand."

' _Corrin really is on a whole different level,'_ the maid stared at him, almost amazed. _'I almost wonder how someone could possibly catch him off guard if they weren't Azura….'_

…..

 _Chapter 13_

"Now this, I can agree with," Corrin gave a thumbs up. "Ice cream is the greatest. Next to waffles. Especially the Belgian ones. Really should've brought some back from the Outrealms."

"…..so I am to be a portable freezer for you," Flora's eyes narrowed. She sighed.

"Truly, the Ice Tribe has never been better honoured."  
"Hey, they made me dress up like a dog for two chapters straight, it's _your_ turn to get embarrassed some."

And then both of them read the bonus part of the chapter. As soon as the words "where babies come from" crossed both their sights….

"We're skipping that."

"A-agreed, Corrin."

…..

 _Chapter 14_

"…me as a princess?" Flora looked curious. "That's rather inspired, I'll admit."

Corrin smiled. "Even got our bond together right, too."

' _I will never understand how Corrin could still treat me like that, even knowing what I did to him,'_ the maid wondered. _'….why am I thinking about this? Corrin would never let me hear the end of it. I should just enjoy this. Being with Corrin. Not in that way, I mean.'_

….

 _Chapter 15_

"Oh god, the sugar in this chapter," Corrin almost retched. "I think I'm going into shock."  
Flora suppressed a laugh. "It's not nearly as flowery as you say it is. Come off it."

"That doesn't sound _remotely_ like something I'd say!", the prince protested. "And really, giving you _another_ impractical outfit when you already wear that isn't the best gift for a Queen. Even if it does look regal."

"True," the maid nodded in agreement. "I never did understand why royalty had such impractical costumes."

' _Still, I am just a girl from the Ice Tribe,'_ Flora admitted to herself. _'…..if it ever came to that, Corrin would never look at me like that; he is, after all, a prince and I would have no business being around him in such a capacity. But it hasn't, so I don't have to worry about it.'_

* * *

 _Chapter 16_

Corrin glared at Flora. "Yeah, I'm still annoyed about you waking me up like this _so_ many times."

Indeed, many a time back in the Northern Fortress- and even now- she woke him with her ice powers. The memory of being frozen awake was something Corrin had imprinted in his brain for a long while.

"Well, you are a _really_ heavy sleeper, Corrin. I really wouldn't know how _else_ to wake you," the maid defended herself. "It was that or let Felicia pour water over you."

"…actually, good point. She might hit me with the pitcher by accident, bless her."

"…..wow, you really are sly in this story," the prince actually looked impressed. "Getting any ideas?"

Flora snorted. "Unfortunately, no."

"Aww. Don't worry, I still love you."

A pause.

"…..we're clear that was platonic, right?"  
"Yes, we're clear."

"Good."

….

 _Chapter 17_

"More sugar!" Corrin complained. "And again, if I slept with you in the same bed, you'd just use your ice powers to wake me up."

Flora chuckled. "Oh, come off it. I hardly woke you up like that every time."  
"Only because Felicia beat you to it. Or Jakob did."

The maid crossed her arms. "Then learn to get up earlier."

"Hey, it's not my fault that it's hard for me to get up in the morning!"

A pause. Both broke out laughing.

"…that was a silly argument," the maid remarked, inhaling deeply.

"I still think I have a point," the prince pointed out weakly, but knowing full well Flora had beaten him this time.

….

 _Chapter 18_

Corrin groaned. "Wheat fields aren't even that comfortable…."

"I think this was Azura's intention in making you read this," Flora suggested. "…..and it seems to be working."

"…that sly minx knows me too well," the prince conceded, closing his eyes. "Guess that's the price for having a friend like her. Still well worth it."

"She is a good friend," Flora nodded in agreement.

' _I'm surprised those two haven't confessed yet,'_ she admitted to herself. _'…they seem so perfect for each other, after all.'_

…..

 _Chapter 19_

Corrin whistled. "Finally, something snazzy. Makes up for the terrible _kigurumi_ I had to wear already."

"…..I honestly wouldn't understand how you couldn't trust me with Laslow," Flora remarked. "He'll flirt, but he's hardly that much of a philanderer."

"Yeah, you didn't go drinking with him, Silas, Kaze, Niles and I that one time," the prince corrected her. "That night was carnage. And he got rejected…..I think Kaze kept a count…..fifty times."  
"…..surely that's exaggerating a little."  
"No, Kaze counted. Fifty times. In one night. We weren't even all drunk," Corrin confidently recalled. "And that is why I'd never be worried if I had to send you off with him for a week. Besides, you're too smart for his charms to get you like that…..oh, _now_ we get to Azura. And, as predicted, she's a mischievous little fox."

"I wonder why she liked this story so much," Flora almost deadpanned.

….

 _Chapter 20_

"…yep, even more reason," the prince groaned in exasperation. "I'm surprised I'm not hearing her laughter yet."

"…..you're not actually that bad at dancing, are you?" Flora inquired, a hint of concern in her voice.  
"Classical dancing? Not great at it, but I certainly won't tip over like that. I can breakdance pretty well, though."

"…break….dance? What is that?"  
"Looks like writhing on the floor, but much more stylish. And not actual writhing on the floor."  
"…that doesn't sound particularly fun."

"Yeah, it really wasn't," the prince confessed. "My roommate talked me into it. I wasn't bad at it, but I swear, my joints hurt worse than any fight I'd actually been in…."

* * *

 _Chapter 21_

"I can cook pretty well if I do say so myself," the prince boasted, smirking. "True, I was pretty bad, being as the only person who'd taught me anything about cooking was Gunter, but I learned."

"Oh?" Flora tilted her head curiously. "You wouldn't mind showing me, then."  
"Well, you're way better at it. Not because you're a maid, but…..you know, you've been doing it longer."

The maid smiled. "I don't mind. I'd just like to have something you made, is all. Eating my own food gets boring."

"Well, if you let me cook more, then I'd cook something," Corrin reminded her.

"It's not your burden. I'd rather not worry you so much."

"I keep telling you it's okay, Flora. Not as if it's that big a problem for me to cook for you," the prince retorted. "But yeah, sure."

Flora nodded. "Well, as long as Azura doesn't find out."  
"She's never hearing about this. Ever. Or else I'll never hear the end of it."

….

 _Chapter 22_

"Yeaaaaah, now we're talking," Corrin grinned. "This reminds me of all the times we teamed up back during the war."

Flora nodded, looking nostalgically at the screen. "Yes. We made a good team, did we not?"

"You'd think that wouldn't be the case, but no, apparently throwing trays and candles at them works just as well as stabbing them with a divine chainsaw sword."

"…chainsaw sword?"  
Corrin flashed the Yato in response. "It's a chainsaw. Like a saw, but with chains. And more noise."

The maid almost snorted. "That makes it sound ridiculous."  
"Well, it kinda is ridiculous. And you were throwing candles and trays at them!"  
"If it isn't broken, don't fix it, as they say," the maid retorted with a smile.

"Heh. True enough, Flora."

…..

 _Chapter 23_

Corrin shuddered. "Remember, kids, always use birth control. Just ask the people who had kids in the middle of a war."

"I can't imagine that we would be so foolish," Flora looked down, frowning. "It seems stupid to do that….and to think it drove us to argue…."  
"Tch, but that'll never happen between us," Corrin reassured her with a grin. "Besides, you're too generally reasonable and I'm too awesome to argue. Between us two, we should be golden."

"…..is this wholly platonic?"  
"Yep. And also, I'm never drinking bum wine again," the prince remarked, another shiver running down his back. "The Outrealms gave me a taste, and I still haven't forgotten how _horrible_ that stuff is…."

…..

 _Chapter 24_

"And the terrible hangover is why, ladies and gents!" Corrin demonstrated. "…..and as much as I think having a kid was stupid in the first place, throwing them into another realm far away is even stupider. I mean, what if the Vallites broke into there and killed them?"

Flora nodded in agreement. "As foolish as that decision was, I think we-I mean, our counterparts- should've asked Lilith or someone else to protect their children. Besides, closest to us is the safest she could be."

"I mean, for one, we have literal Stoneborn guarding the place, a fish-dragon girl and all of us who aren't heading on missions, since apparently we only need about twelve of us. And weird puppet things," the prince added, cringing. "I never understood which poor Hoshidan thought that up and decided to sell those things."  
"You find them creepy too?" Flora stared at him curiously.

"Of course! How do you even get kids to like those weird puppet things?" The prince complained, shaking. "I mean, Sakura likes them! And she's scared of spiders barely the size of my nail!"

….

 _Chapter 25_

"Dinner and a play," Corrin remarked. "Silas, save that for Mozu, I'm not interested."

Flora giggled. "Well, I'm apparently pretty enough to you that I can distract you easily."

The prince stared at the screen to figure out what she was talking about. "Oh COME ON! Really?! And….actually, I would think Silas would say that."

"…hot?"  
"You know, attractive. Sexy. Okay, maybe less _sexy_ , more _beautiful_ ," the prince explained. Flora blushed at that assessment of her.

"O-oh. I….I see. Do you…..err...agree, with that?"  
 _'He can't possibly agree. After all, I don't really look that pretty. I'm not like Azura or Kagerou or all the rest. He'll say-'_

"Totally. You are kinda hot. Their Silas didn't lie," Corrin admitted, shrugging. The maid's eyes widened.

"E-eh!?"  
"I can't just _say_ you aren't kinda hot, Flora. I mean, you're not some otherworldly beauty, but…..you know, you have that kinda cuteness around you that makes you really look pretty. And you look serious. Guys are into that. Not me, I mean. But I do find you kinda hot. I hope I'm not being creepy."

She blinked, a little stunned. She decided to reply in kind.

"Well, I…..well…..find you handsome too. In the slightly awkward but good-looking way," Flora admitted, chuckling nervously at the situation. "And no, you aren't. I did ask, after all. Thanks for the compliment, I suppose."

'… _he might just be saying that. I can't possibly look that nice to him, can I? Wait, why do I care?'_ the maid shook her head. _'I don't feel like that for him. He's my friend. Maybe the aphrodisiascs are having residual effects. I must ask someone skilled in potions to check.'_

* * *

 _Chapter 26_

"That does sound exactly like what Lady Camilla would say," Flora remarked, shuddering. "...out of interest, what does she think of Azura?"

"Huh?"  
"You know, because you wanted to confess to her."

"Ah! Right!" The prince laughed nervously, having almost forgotten the camouflage he'd used to get close to her. "Well….suffice to say, Azura's too much for Camilla to handle. Way too much. So much so that she's about the only person Camilla hasn't threatened to axe if they hurt me."

"Why's that?"  
"Well, she never told me what she said, but Camilla certainly hasn't come back for round two."

…..

 _Chapter 27_

"Isn't your birthday just around the end of February?" Corrin inquired off-handedly. Flora stared at him, surprised.

"…..you remembered? I think I only told you once," the maid uttered, blinking. The prince laughed.

"Of course I remembered. I know everyone's birthdays. Why?"  
"O-oh, I….well…..that's nice," Flora replied. "I….your birthday's…December, right? The third?"

"Yeah," Corrin smiled in response. "That's right."  
"I really need to do something for then."  
"Huh? No you don't. It's just my birthday. Doesn't matter."  
"No, I insist," the maid looked determined on this point. "You always insist on doing something for me, now let me do something for you back."

"…..alright, alright," Corrin sighed, smiling. "You win. I can't resist your charms, as it were."

Flora replied with a smile of her own, content. "Good. You can't always be watching out for me, so I have to thank you somehow, don't I?"  
 _'It wouldn't be fair otherwise. Besides, if I'm going back to the Ice Tribe one day…..I have to pay back my debt before then.'_

…

 _Chapter 28_

Flora gave Corrin a curious look. "Why does this sound like something you'd do?"  
"….hey, if it's my daughter, I'd rather she keeps away from the wrong kind of boy," the prince answered defensively. "It's only appropriate."  
"Well, maybe our daughter can handle herself. She does seem to be of age. Or close."

"…and you're helping her?" The prince cried, before sighing. "I think this is about the umpteenth time you've put something over on me. I'm not sure I like feeling so vulnerable."

"I think that's what Azura was going for, making you read this," the maid pointed out. "In fact, I'm surprised she left before I came in, if this was what she had in mind."

"Maybe she wanted us to savour the whole 'being-paired-together' angle."

…..

 _Chapter 29_

"Finally!" Corrin cried in relief. "I actually _get_ to be badass llama-dragon person! Aaaaaand I get turned into a glorified play pen. Great."

Flora giggled. "I think it suits you."

" _Flora_! I'll let you know that the power of a Dragonstone is _way_ too valuable to use for just _children_!"

"…you still think this whole thing's pretty funny, don't you."  
"Oh dear gods _yes_."

…..

 _Chapter 30_

Flora refused to look at the screen the moment she saw her counterpart straddle Corrin's lap. "I….uh….."

Her cheeks were clearly red with embarrassment, and her hands were tightly clenched. She was obviously thinking about what had almost transpired between both of them in the hot springs a few days ago.

As was Corrin.

' _Now that I think about it,_ she _was the one who said-NONONONONONONO NOT THINKING ABOUT IT! BAD THOUGHTS!'_ Corrin berated himself, trying to erase the sounds of Flora's seductive moans from his head. _'Bad! Now's not the time! Maybe later!'_

…

 _Chapter 31_

The two were in silence after finishing that chapter. The theme of this particular chapter had involved mortality.

Specifically, the logic behind the fact that Corrin, as a half-dragon, would far outlive Flora.

'… _to think that it'd hurt this Corrin that bad to lose me,'_ Flora mused to herself. _'…..knowing how my Corrin acts, I don't know if he'd be this calm about losing everyone he loved…...'_

' _Gods, help me if I lived that long,'_ the prince thought. _'…..no. If it ever came to that…I'd find a way. I'd always find a way. I always do. But it doesn't matter right now.'_

"…that was…certainly something," he remarked. "Right?"

The maid nodded slowly. "Yes…..that was."

"….so, was that good?" Corrin inquired, clearly eager to change the subject.

Flora was equally eager to oblige. "Y-yes. Of course. Even if it was rather...how do you put it, 'shippy'?"  
"Well, that's to be expected. The summary outright _says_ he's pairing us together. Alright, well-"

"And I really must go now," Flora stood up hurriedly. The prince looked confused.

"Eh? Thought you were done for today?"

"I just remembered I had errands to run!" The maid ran out of the room, justifying what she had to do to herself as she did.

' _I need to go find someone who can tell me of those aphrodisiacs we breathed in still have an effect on me. Maybe Orochi would be willing to help; she seems experienced with things like this.'_

Corrin sighed, looking down as she left. "Well…..at least that was a fun afternoon."

"You two finished in here yet?"

Azura walked in with a teasing smirk on her lips. Corrin glared at her.

"What was that for?"  
"What was _what_ for?"  
"What….what you did! To the laptop!"

"….what are you talking about?" The songstress' voice lost its teasing tone, now genuinely oblivious to what was going on. "Huh? Corrin, I haven't touched that thing and anyway, I wouldn't know what to do. It's an Outrealm gadget; if anything, you should know, you lived there."  
"…then…..who was it?" The prince paused briefly, trying to run through his mental list of potential suspects.

* * *

 _Meanwhile…._

"Damn!" Janus exclaimed, as Flora and Corrin went their separate ways without so much as a kiss. He sighed, slamming his book shut on the casefile he had 'acquired' from the Antic Order. "Morgan lied. Locking your parents into a room together to make them admit their love never works!"

"Maybe because our parents don't love each other yet," Kana suggested, leaning on the doorframe. Janus whirled around, frowning.

"Well, I'm trying to fix that, sis!"  
"This isn't like our home, Janus," the older sibling reminded him gently. "For one, Corrin doesn't live in Hoshido here."

"Yeah, but he and Mom hang out so much-"  
"They might just be friends now. It's the price we have to pay to see her again," Kana reminded him, a sad smile on her face. "Look, Janus, I know how much you miss our parents, but maybe it just won't be this time."

The younger boy huffed. "You'll see. It'll work perfectly. You're just being pessimistic."

Kana sighed, shaking her head and leaving her younger brother to it.

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Woo! Also, next chapter will be Mario Kart. Because it's apparently my college's idea of a joke to dress up like Mario characters and use wheelie chairs as karts, I might as well make something appropriate of it. And also I've not got enough chapters to do Birthright/Conquest/Revelation reactions in my current plan for this part, so there's that. Also, a HUGE shoutout to** **ThatOneGuyWhoWrites** _ **,**_ **the true homie and the guy who let me write this! Again, his work's a lot shorter, sweeter and tighter than this, so if you're reading this, go check him out, he's worth a shot.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, suggestions, reviews and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! After this stinger is over!**

* * *

 _Later…._

"And this is why it should be held in Shirasagi City," Ryoma succinctly concluded, folding his arms and gazing over at his opposite number, on the other side of the table. He, Kagerou and Saizou were facing Xander, Peri and Laslow in Corrin's dining room, taking opposite sides of the dining table.

"Hm. I agree," the ninja in red nodded gruffly. "It's far less of a security risk."

Laslow looked indignant at the idea. "Are you _suggesting_ Lord Xander won't protect Hoshidans in Windmire?"  
"I'm suggesting that it's easier if we hold it somewhere we can trust people-" Saizou replied back, but Kagerou grasped his shoulder, shaking her head.

"What are you doing?"  
"Don't pick fights, the both of you," the female ninja chided both her partner and her liege. "This is meant to be something to celebrate unity, not a contest to measure the sizes of your-"

"Enough," Xander commandingly stated, his voice resonating through the room so everyone shut up. "It's clear that we won't get to the end of this argument anytime soon. We should let Corrin decide, as an impartial judge."

"Awww….." Peri frowned, her hand moving away from the hilt of her sword. "I was looking forward to a fight-"

Her arm was grabbed by Laslow, who gave her a shake of the head. Peri almost whimpered, but sighed.

"I know, I promised….."  
"And he'll agree with me when I say it should be in Hoshido," Ryoma reminded him as Corrin walked in. At that, everyone turned towards him.

"Ah, Corrin, good day," said Xander.

"Good to see you, Corrin," said Ryoma.

"Cut the crap," said Corrin. "I heard you two arguing down the hall."

Both kings looked sufficiently chided. Kagerou and Laslow both looked relieved that _someone_ could shut their leaders up.

"Alright. What is _so_ important you all came out here instead of doing what you'd usually do and meet in some neutral city-state?" Corrin inquired, a hand on his hip as he looked over the gathering. "It's clearly a family thing."  
"Actually, no," his Nohrian brother corrected him. "It's something of importance to all of us."  
"Yes," the Hoshidan king concurred. "Very important. As hostilities between Hoshido and Nohr have been over for several years, and we're confident that this is the right time."

Xander confidently nodded. "It was a tradition of old that Hoshido and Nohr would hold a festival, together, with their people as one, in one city, before relations between our countries went downhill."  
"As a show of good-will," Ryoma finished. "We wanted to revive the festival and call it the Reunion Festival."  
 _'Oh, good gods,'_ Corrin groaned. _'These two? Work together? It's already screwed.'_

"Alright, and…..you want me…..to tell you where to hold it?"  
"Yes," both men said in unison.

"…..you two have no idea how to hold a festival, do you?"  
"No, not at all," both of his brothers replied in tandem.

The prince groaned for the umpteenth time that day.

"I was wrong. Someone, break out the bum wine."

* * *

 **END**


	28. Corrin Reacts to Mario Kart!

**Corrin Reacts to Mario Kart!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Now, for those of you wondering where I've been for the last week or so, I've been busy. Busy with working on college work, entertaining relatives and attempting to fix my laptop; for those of you not in the know, my laptop more or less crapped out and took about five days to fix, involving at least two reformats and a lot of futzing around with the registry. Of course, any work I had then was basically gone as I didn't anticipate it crapping out and therefore had no backups. However, I should be good now so I can write some chapters for Valentine's Day. Just in time to go ship more Florrin. Oh and for the curious, yes, I will be reacting to Fire Emblem Heroes probably within the next few chapters.**

 **Oh, and the unnamed guest who commented last chapter, go read the bottom of the chapter again. I think you'll find it to your liking ;)**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise Flora would be one of the first heroes available in Heroes. (Also I'd have like 5 5-star Floras.)**

 **Mario Kart belongs to Nintendo.**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Never…..again."

"Corrin, are you okay?"

"…..yes."

Corrin groaned, rubbing his temple as he sat at his desk, his eyes half-lidded and bloodshot. Needless to say, the meeting between Xander and Ryoma was less about the Reunion Festival- a tradition Corrin pretty sure didn't even exist and those two had only made it up so they'd have something else to compete with each other over- and more about his two older brothers trying to one-up each other again. First it was over looks, then it was over the lengths of their swords and now it was over who should hold the Festival and where. It took Corrin several hours to persuade them to just hold it in Cheve; Izumo was on the top of a massive rock and thus difficult to get to and anyway Izana would probably turn the whole thing into more of a disaster than it already was.

It wasn't long before he and Kagerou had finished all the bottles of bum wine they could find. Kagerou's liver was god-like in terms of taking in poisons, and she walked away on her own two feet; Corrin, half-dragon though he was, was less amenable to alcohol, and had to be carried back to his bedroom by a disapproving Jakob. Then again, they always did say that Mikoto could barely drink a child under the table.

Or maybe it was just a joke on Orochi's part. He could hardly think, his head was pounding too hard.

' _Okay. NOW I'm never drinking again,'_ Corrin promised himself.

Elise tilted her head, her ponytails bobbing behind her. She was leaning over the table, frowning.

"Ehhhh? Corrin? You look….tired."

"I'm good. Just…had a late night, is all."

' _If drunk off my ass at eight in the evening counts as late, then yeah, sure,'_ the prince mused to himself.

"You smell like Camilla after a long night!" Elise pointed out, her frown deepening. "Corrin, you were drinking, weren't you?"

The prince sighed, shaking his head. "Guilty as charged. Sorry. I forget you're older now. Or maybe it's the alcohol talking."

Elise huffed, crossing her arms and puffing out her cheeks. "I'm a real adult now, big bro! I don't need you to hide stuff like that from me!"

"Sorry, sorry," the prince apologized, wincing. "Dammit….can you get Felicia or Jakob up here? I need to show them something to get rid of this hangover."  
"No need," Kaze spoke, causing Elise to jump and Corrin to almost tumble out of his seat. The prince whirled around to stare at him.

"When…..when did you get here?"  
"I let him in," Azura pointed out, leaning by the doorframe. "He wanted to drop some flowers for his girlfriend."

Kaze tensed visibly at that, hiding the flowers that he was in fact carrying behind his back. "For the last time, Lady Azura, Felicia is _not_ my girlfriend. She is simply a friend of mine and I thought these flowers would be a nice gift for her."  
"You know, that's probably the most clichéd line ever next to "nothing could possibly go wrong" and absolutely nobody believes you, right?"

Elise grinned cheerily. "I ship it!"

The green ninja didn't bother engaging Azura in discussion; it was hardly worth it, as Azura would inevitably win anyway. Instead, he turned to Corrin. "Our father taught Saizou and I many cures, including ones to hangovers. I have a bottle of one right here."

Corrin looked up pleadingly, shaking his head desperately, still scarred from the last time Kaze had attempted to cure what ailed him. The ninja seemed completely oblivious.

"Please, take this. It will help."

Azura walked away. "I'll just leave you two to it. Now if you excuse me, I have some interesting stories to go read that someone left at my door. Whoever this 'Lucina' and 'Robin' are, they get up to some rather interesting things. Niles would be jealous…."

* * *

 _Minutes later…._

Elise tilted her head at Corrin as he and Kaze returned from the latrines, the prince looking as pale as death. He was propped up on Kaze's right arm, the latter supporting him.

"…is he going to be okay?"

"I think so," Kaze nodded slowly. "If the cure worked, at least."  
"I now know what it feels like to die and be resurrected," the prince moaned, clutching his head with his hands. "And it feels like hell. At least I don't feel drunk anymore…"

"So it worked."

Corrin shot his friend a glare "Why don't you take some?"

"I'm not drunk, why would I?" Kaze replied, completely oblivious to his friend's irritation. Corrin, for his part, was unable to remain irritated with the green ninja and sighed.

"Oblivious as always. Well, you tried, and I can't fault you for that. Thanks, I suppose."

Kaze smiled. "Any time. Now, if you excuse me, I must be getting those flowers to Felicia now. Kagerou says that she needs me to help calm my brother down; he's raving about you being…." His gaze drifted towards Elise. "…..some sort of prankster. Can't imagine where he got that idea."

Elise's expression was unreadable for a moment. Corrin spied it for a second, and he as if she saw straight through it, before her face lit up with her typically cheerful expression.

"Awww…where would he've gotten that idea? Big bro would never do something like that!" Elise hugged his waist, giggling. Kaze sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, my brother can be a little….obsessive. Now, if you excuse me…."

Kaze left down the corridor, leaving Elise and Corrin alone. The young princess waited a while, before looking up at Corrin. "Heeeeeey. Do you want to do something fun?"

The prince groaned, though out of pain rather than in response to her sister. "…..sure. Lemme just…..work this pain out of my system."

"Weeeell, Kana showed me the laptop- that's what it's called, right?- and she showed me you could play games on it- you know, like we did that one time."  
"Kana played with you?" Corrin raised an eyebrow. "Kana? That Kana? Super serious Kana?"

"Yep!"

'… _okay,I think Kaze really_ must _have killed me. That doesn't sound like Kana at all._ '

"She even introduced me to this one game! It was…was it…..Wario Kart?" Elise tapped her chin carefully, trying to recall what the game was called. "Mario Kart! Yes, that was it!"

'… _..okay, really. I think I'm_ still _drunk. Kana played Mario Kart with my sister?'_ Corrin thought to himself, the remaining dull throbbing fading away from his head. _'…when did that happen?'_

"Oh. That one…..alright. You want to play it, I guess?"

"Yeah!" Elise nodded hurriedly, before a competitive gleam flickered in her eyes. "Besides, I bet you can't beat me. I'm totally beast at Mario Kart!"

Corrin cringed at the words that just came out of his sister's mouth. The princess frowned, looking offended.

"What?"

"….who taught you that?"  
"Kana, of course."

'… _.now, that's interesting. Kana's been out in the Outrealms too, or someone taught her that,'_ the prince nodded slowly. _'I wonder who. Well, they're behind on slang by like five years anyway, so….'_

"Alright, alright, let's go."

* * *

 _Minutes later…._

Corrin sat down, setting up the laptop for play. He still didn't quite understand what kind of eldritch wizardry the Antic Order- he hadn't seen that Reflet woman in months, now that he'd thought about it- had done to this laptop to make it incapable of running out of power, or be able to produce the appropriate working controllers for whatever game, or had emulators for consoles that he knew for a fact only had ones that barely worked and wouldn't get working versions for months.

He'd have killed to have something like this piece of gear back when he'd spent a few months as a coffee shop employee in the Outrealms.

'… _the technology to make stuff like this work anywhere and they use it on gaming laptops,'_ Corrin mused to himself amusedly. _'Eh, doesn't really sound that far off from how people really are.'_

That wasn't the matter at hand, whatever. The first half of it was that he still had a slight headache from his hangover. The second half of it was that Elise had thrown down the gauntlet. And Corrin, as the totally awesome and completely suave big brother, had to take the challenge on.

' _Mario Kart Wii? On this?'_ , the prince mused. _'Really convenient, that.'_

Elise grinned, clutching a controller in one hand and patting an empty seat next to her. "Well come on, come on!"

"Yeah, alright, I've got it set up. What are we doing?"

The young princess smiled. "Kana and I played the Special Cup! I beat her at it first time! Come on, Corrin, this'll be just like old times!"

"…..where we played hide-and-seek, you made Flora or I go seek and you hid behind us in a potted plant thinking we'd never see you and we caught you every time?"

Elise pouted, before clenching her fists and looking even more determined. "Now you're on! You're going down, Corrin!"

"Heh, that's the spirit, sis," the prince grinned.

...

 _Dry Dry Ruins_

Corrin was stunned. He'd just about taken off the start line and Elise was already blowing far and away in first place. Appropriately, she was also playing Peach. Corrin, for his part, was playing Luigi, and both of them had the same bike.

"Kana taught me a few tricks~!" Elise teased him, giggling. Corrin gave her a curious look.

"I bet she did. I can't be letting my little sister beat me at a game I've actually played!"

The princess stuck her tongue out mischievously. "Well, prepare to lose!"

Corrin attempted to blast past the last part with a golden mushroom, attempting to bypass the long bend by crossing across the sand, but Elise was too quick and even with the golden mushroom boost, she was still far ahead of him. In fact, she almost lapped him.

"I'm in third place and you're lapping me," the prince stared at the screen in disbelief. "Come on, you're kidding!"  
Elise giggled cheerily. "Nope! I'm winning~!"

Indeed, the rest of the race was basically over in a matter of minutes, and his little sister stood victorious. She smiled cheerily, tilting her head at her brother.

"You going to give up yet?"

"…heh," the prince replied with his own audacious smirk. "Right, you're on."  
"And if I win, you have to tell me one secret! I get to pick!"

"Well, next track's my favourite one," the prince replied casually. "So-"

….

 _Moonview Highway_

"Dammit, how did I lose?" Corrin cried, staring at the screen where he came in second once more against his younger sister, who'd managed to beat him by an entire lap once more.

"I'm just better, that's all~"

"Who even _designs_ a racetrack in the middle of a highway like that?"

In fairness, it didn't help that he'd managed to somehow get hit by every second truck and car heading down the track anyway. Still, he lost, fair and square. Elise looked up at him innocently.

"Soooo…..you're going to tell me a secret, right?" she inquired. "I did win on your favourite track."  
"…..second favourite," Corrin hastily self-corrected, looking aside shiftily for a moment before sighing. "But yes, sure. One secret."

Elise tapped her chin for a moment, thinking carefully. Then….

"Are you and Flora in love?"

Corrin stared at her for a moment. "….what?"

"You two always hang out together, and you're always doing nice things for Flora and she's always doing them for you," Elise pointed out.

"….did Azura put you up to this?"

"Nope!" the princess replied with a bright smile. "I just wanted to know!"

"...no," the prince answered, a slight bit of hesitation in his voice. "…..Flora and I are good friends, that's all. I do the things I do for her for you. Or Azura. Or Jakob, if he'd actually appreciate them."

The princess seemed disappointed by that answer. "Awwww. You sure? Not going out secretly? Like in all the old stories the nurse used to tell me?"  
"No, definitely not," Corrin sighed, shaking his head. "Don't get your hopes up. Besides, she likes Jakob, not me. So even if I did like her in that way, I'd probably try to help her get with the guy she actually likes."

Elise, for a moment, seemed far more serious. "What if she liked you instead? Then what?"

"…are you trying to say something about us two?"

"Just asking questions!" She reassured him with a sudden grin, as if trying to placate a startled animal. Corrin rubbed the back of his head. For some reason, he felt like the line of questioning was intruding a little too deeply.

He knew he definitely didn't think of Flora in that way.

Of course, that wasn't completely true; he'd thought about it a few times when he was a teenager. After all, he wasn't _dead_ , and he'd already made it clear he found her rather attractive, not to mention the daydreams he had a few times. However, he'd never made a move because they were friends, and those feelings eventually faded as he grew into adulthood.

This wasn't one of those denial moments like he'd seen in Outrealm anime, this was one of those moments where everyone asking him the same question was making him feel unsure about the right answer.

'… _..right? Dammit, I should stop thinking about this. Flora's pretty, true, and she's nice, and we've known each other for years, but she likes Jakob and always has. I'd have no chance with her even if I wanted her that way. Right?'_

"Can we not…..talk about this?" Corrin asked, feeling odd about the whole thing. "Is that okay? Sorry, I know I promised, but…."

"Yeah, of course!" Elise nodded hurriedly, clutching her controller again. "I'll still totally kick your butt~!"

The prince snorted. "Fat chance of that. Now I know what's at stake here, I'll have to win. Sorry, sis, you're not getting any more uncomfortable conversations out of me."

' _Azura is never finding out about any of this, or I'll never hear the end of it.'_

* * *

 _Bowser's Castle_

"I always wondered how anyone could live in a castle that had floors out of a circus funhouse and constantly spurted with lava," Corrin remarked. "Then again, there was that one castle they apparently made out of a dragon's bones here, could you believe that?"

"I wonder what would happen if that dragon got brought back to life?" Elise inquired, curious. "Have you ever been there?"

"No, but I have a feeling it'd be all…..stomach-acid-y. What with the thing apparently being built in the literal belly of the beast."

The princess shuddered. "That…sounds really icky."

"Probably would be, yeah and…..COME ON!" The prince yelled at the screen as one of the lava spouts at the end of the track blasted him upwards, taking him out of first place as Elise sped past. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"I'm gonna wiiiiiin~"

"You can't be doing this!" He cried exasperatedly. "You can't be beating me at a game I've actually played! Especially when you didn't even know what video games _were_ until like two months ago!"

His little sister simply grinned at him cheerily. "I learn quickly! Besides, isn't this fun? You and me, just like before? Playing together?"

"….yeah, I suppose it is," the prince chuckled nostalgically. "As is this."

"What?" Elise looked at him before a blue shell smashed into her, flipping her kart upside down as it exploded. Corrin drove past, stealing the victory from her just moments away from the finish line.

To add insult to injury, another lava geyser spurted into Elise, flipping her once more. The princess pouted at her big brother, looking incredibly offended.

"No fair! You had a big blowy-up thing! You cheated!"

"All's fair in love and war, sister dear," Corrin reminded her. "Besides, you can probably beat me, it's only one more race, and it's the hardest track in the game."

….

 _Rainbow Road_

"….well," Corrin nodded slowly as he stared at the eleventh place finish on his screen. "…..that…..was interesting."

Elise nodded along with her older brother, staring at her own twelfth place finish. "Yeah…."

Both of them had managed to absolutely screw up the race; Elise had managed to drive off the track several times, while Corrin had somehow managed to get smacked off the track with shells.

"…we're never playing that again."  
"Yep, we aren't," the prince sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Still, fun game, huh?"  
"Yep!" The princess grinned happily, before sighing. "…it's nice to spend time with you, you know? I barely do that with you."  
Corrin's eyes widened. "Huh? Of course I do! We spend loads of time together! I just…you know"

Elise simply shook her head. "It's okay. You and Flora are spending more and more time together, so I know you won't have time to spend with your little sister. Don't apologise, I know; you just want to make someone important to you happy. Just promise you'll make time sometimes, okay? You know, to hang out like we always did? That's all I want."

She seemed sadder than usual, averting her older brother's gaze and rubbing her arm. Any concerns Corrin had for the status of his relationship with the maid was overridden by his worry for his younger sibling.

'… _..so that's why Elise wanted to play with me so much,'_ the prince mused, feeling guilty with himself. _'I really shouldn't be neglecting her so much.'_

"…..I promise," Corrin reassured her. "I promise I'll make time for just the two of us sometime. Just like old times."

Elise perked up at that. Giggling, she hugged her older brother around the waist. "Awww, thanks! And don't worry about me being lonely, I have other friends! Like Odin! He's really nice and kinda cute!"

The prince felt his eyelid twitch at that.

'… _.Odin, you'd better hope for your sake you're not making moves towards my little sister or I swear, nothing will save you from me.'_

"…..friends, hehehe…." Corrin laughed slowly and reluctantly. "…yeah."

"Speaking of friends, where's Flora?" Elise inquired. At that, Corrin suddenly was made aware by the absence of the blue-haired maid. He instinctively looked around.

"….actually…..yeah, I haven't seen her all day, huh," the prince mused. A strange feeling passed over him as he thought about her absence, but he banished it. "You're right. Where is she?"

* * *

 _Meanwhile…._

"….well, I've done just about every test known to man on you in that regard," Orochi remarked, tucking a stray hair into the weave of her hairdo again. She turned towards Flora, who was sitting on a stool on the other side of the room.

The maid looked curiously at her. "And?"

"There's not a trace of aphrodisiac or love potion in your system at all!" Orochi explained brightly. Flora's eyes widened in surprise. "…you're joking. I know, you're known for this."

The potionmaker looked offended. "I beg your pardon? Of course I'm not joking. There are things I joke about, but matters of _love_ are not one of them. No, you're not affected by any love potion I know of, and I know all of them."

The maid sat back, thinking carefully. "…..but that's…..impossible."

Orochi tapped her lip. "…you know, this means you're in love with someone. I wonder who. Is it Jakob? Ooh, let me guess? Corrin? Forbidden love is the best~!"

"…..I really have to go somewhere right now," Flora hastily replied, standing up. "Thank you, miss Orochi."

"So it _is_ Corrin-"  
"It is none of your business!" The sound of Flora hastily sliding the door shut behind her could be heard. Orochi seemed disappointed by that. "Huh. I was going to give her advice about it. How disappointing."

…..

Flora hastened back to the fort, trying to reconcile what she knew now with what she'd been feeling for a while.

Lately, Corrin had grown more and more in her thoughts. They'd been friends for years, ever since he'd saved her from that blizzard, and the events of the war and the last four years had merely strengthened their bond. Their relationship had blossomed in the last few months, too; she and Corrin had grown relatively close ever since he'd sworn to help Flora get in a relationship with Jakob, something she'd thought she'd wanted. Or maybe she did want it before.

However, lately, Corrin had been in her thoughts many times; the incident in the hot springs simply made it worse, with lustful thoughts from the depths of her psyche clouding all logic and overwhelming rationality. It was hard to keep him out of her mind whenever he was around; she always found herself drawn to him inexorably, like a moth to a candle. It was getting harder and harder to suppress her thoughts.

Maybe Orochi was right and she really was developing feelings for him.

' _Impossible. Besides, I should know better than to fall for Corrin,'_ Flora shook her head, trying to shake the thought from her mind and closing her eyes as she sprinted back home. _'He's a prince, I'm…..nobody. He's the nicest person I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, he deserves someone better and I'm not that person. He deserves someone who…who isn't broken._

 _No, I can't be in love with him. I can't. I won't let it happen._

… _right?'_

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry about there being a bit too little Mario Kart in this chapter. This was more of a setup for the next two-parter that I have coming up. I'd intended for that two-parter to fall on Valentine's Day, but as it's now the fifteenth here and I've spent the last few days enjoying my short-lived break, hanging out with my relatives and doing exam prep. Anyway, to make up for it, the next one will be all about Valentine's Day. And Flora sorting out what she actually feels about Corrin.**

 **I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, suggestions, criticisms and reviews, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time**


	29. The Valentine's Incident, Part 1!

**The Valentine's Incident, Part 1!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! To make up for the lack of the actual shipping during the chapter I actually uploaded during Valentine's Day, have two whole Florrin chapters on me! Oh, and also, customary unrelated advertisement of my Pokémon Sun and Moon Reacts fanfic,** **Hajime Reacts** **, released just last week! It has Lillie in it, so that automatically puts it at "crapfic" level now! Anyway, enough jibber-jabber. I also need to go make more Toradora references. I love the hell out of Toradora; I'll be honest, I was quite heavily influenced by it in the writing of this story. If you're an anime fan into romance anime, you really should go watch it, it's great. Anyway, enough jibber-jabber, let's get going!  
DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise we'd have Female Robin as an unlockable character in Heroes already. (I want to assemble my Sailor Senshi team, okay?)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"No."  
"Come on, Kana! It'll work! I promise!"

" _No_ , Janus," Kana folded her arms, glaring at her younger brother. The two of them were talking on a bench in the market of Shirasagi City, a tray of half-eaten _okonomiyaki_ between the two. "Stop. We went through this. You know we can't interfere."

Janus frowned. "Why not?"

"…..we promised Owain we wouldn't use the ritual he taught us for things like that, only to save Mama's life," Kana reminded him softly. "…look, I don't like it either. I want our family to be back together. I want Mama to tell me that it'll be alright and Papa to think of me as his daughter again, but I know it's the price we had to pay to make sure Mama didn't die."

The young blue-haired boy shook his head. "If we can save mom's life, why can't we get her and dad together?"  
"We changed the timeline too much. For all we know, they don't even love each other here. Maybe we could well be Azura's kids this time," Kana suggested. "Maybe Papa falls for her in this timeline. Look, we can't force our parents together. If they get together, it has to come naturally. Alright? And Papa always taught us to use the skills he taught us for good only."

"This _is_ good!"

Kana sighed, simply shaking her head.

She, too, missed the days of her time, when she could come home to their hut in the Hoshidan countryside. Corrin would be cooking dinner, Flora would be setting the table and her little brother would be outside, playing with Ophelia, Kiragi and the others. The four of them were a little happy family. Flora would fuss over the fact that Janus had gotten himself messy in the bramble again, Janus would laugh it off and fidget and whine, but he never did anything to stop his mother from cleaning him up. And Corrin would tell stories over dinner.

Sometimes, it'd be a story about the monsters they slew in their conquest of Nohr. Maybe it would be something about Azura, long since gone but not forgotten. Maybe it would be something about Aunt Elise taking a blow for Corrin and barely surviving due to Flora's quick thinking. Or maybe it would be his favourite one- and Mama's favourite one too. That one was a fairy tale of their own design.

They said it was a dragon and a maiden, but Kana didn't take long to figure out it was her mother and father. Even so, she wondered at it. She always wondered where they took inspiration for the story; where the part where the dragon saved the maiden from the flames came from, where the part where the dragon nursed the maiden back to health and stayed by her side, day and night, hour after hour was based on, but Flora didn't want to say and Corrin never told her. Perhaps it was some old war story that they never wanted to go back to. They always ended it with the 'happily ever after', and Kana always believed that's how it would be; she, her brother and her parents, living in their small little home forever.

But that was before. This was now.

"…fine," Janus stood up, a determined look on his face. "If you won't help me, then I'll do it myself. Or I'll find someone else to help me."

Without waiting, the boy stood up and stormed off into the crowds, leaving his older sister alone. Kana reached after him futilely.

"…Janus….." she sighed to herself.

Of the two of them, Janus was always the more impulsive one, the one who went for what he wanted and took it into his own hands. In that way, he took after his father more, in his impulsiveness and hastiness; Kana took after Flora instead, in that she was more cautious, more measured.

She was afraid that Janus might hurt himself this time, not physically but emotionally.

* * *

 _Meanwhile…_

"…you've really learned how to cook," Azura remarked after she swallowed the last chunk of egg on her plate. Corrin had made her- and the others, of course- breakfast, in the form of an omelette. Of course it was simpler; she had overheard Corrin cursing the lack of a 'stove', 'gas oven' or 'electric whisk'. Felicia and Elise gave their resounding approval in the form of a simultaneous thumbs up.

"I must say, Lord Corrin, you really have improved," Jakob nodded in agreement. "If I do say so myself."  
"A few months of having to cook for yourself'll do that for you," Corrin replied, smiling. "And hey, I felt like doing something nice today. Seeing as you've been cooking for me for the last decade, I thought it's only fair if I started doing so a bit more often."  
Jakob looked almost offended at the prospect. "Don't be ridiculous. We're trained, you're an amateur. Your sister has taught us enough about the effects of amateurs on innocent kitchens."

Elise puffed out her cheeks, crossing her arms. "Hmph! I'm good at cooking! I'm just…bad at cleaning up afterwards."

"Well, that's not the way things work in the Outrealms," Corrin retorted. "After all, eventually, you guys'll want to leave and have your own lives, right?"

"Absolutely not," Jakob huffed. "I plan to serve you as long as I am able."

"If you're paying for food for the rest of your life, I'll take it," Azura chimed in with a cheeky grin. "Why would I leave, anyway?"

"If you're staying, you're getting a job and paying for your share."

"Aww. I thought we were friends."

"I'm your best friend, not your husband," the prince deadpanned.

Jakob rolled his eyes. "And here I could hardly tell the difference."

"I don't think _you_ should be making cracks about being Corrin's husband to _me_ , Jakob dear." Azura retorted. The butler, at that, seemed surprised.

"What are you insinuating?"

Azura simply replied with a knowing look.

As the two bickered, Corrin turned away from them and towards Felicia. "Hey."

"Hm? Y-yes?"  
"Do you know where your sister is? I haven't seen her all morning. Did she say she was feeling ill?"

"…no, not at all," Felicia looked curiously down. Now that Corrin had mentioned it, she hadn't seen her sister since last night. She'd seemed shaken when she'd come back from whatever errand she'd gone off to run the night before. Felicia had asked, but Flora didn't say what had happened, or why she'd left.

"…..did you send her on an errand last night?"

Corrin raised an eyebrow. "No. Why, did she go somewhere?"

"Uh, well…..I didn't see her for the whole day yesterday either. When she came back, she was…..even quieter than usual," the pink-haired maid recounted, a growing expression of worry on her face. "…do you think Flora's sick?"

"I'm okay, Felicia."

Both of them turned to see Flora, standing in the doorway. She seemed to be trying to avert Corrin's gaze as much as possible, focusing on Felicia instead.

"Oh, hey," the prince flashed a smile at her. Flora didn't respond, except with a mumbled out 'hello' under her breath. Corrin frowned.

"Hey, is there something wrong?"

"Yes, is there?" Felicia looked between her friend and her sister, not quite understanding what was going on. "…..have you two been arguing?"

"What?" Flora's head snapped upwards, before she frantically shook her head. "N-no, of course not!"

"When could that have happened? I haven't seen her for two days…." Corrin added, standing up and approaching her. "Hey, Flora, what's wrong?"  
"N-nothing, nothing whatsoever. Why?"  
Jakob took this moment to interject, clearing his throat.

"It might be a good idea to mention that we've all noticed you acting weirdly since we returned from the hot springs in Izumo," the butler commented. "Well, at least, your sister and I."

Azura stared at him. "Wait, you did? I missed something."

"Perhaps you should be more attentive about your housemates, Lady Azura."

Elise kept her mouth shut, but Corrin had a feeling, based on what happened the day before, that she too had noticed something with Flora.

Now that they mentioned it, Flora hadn't been the same since they visited the hot springs. She'd stolen a few quick glances at him every so often, and just the way she normally was had changed, as if something had come over her. Maybe it was the aphrodisiacs they'd been dosed with, though Corrin doubted that; he knew, like Orochi and every other potionmaker on the continent, that the effects were temporary only. And last he'd checked, nobody was plying her with love potion under the table; at least, he hoped they didn't.

A feeling of rage at someone attempting to tamper with Flora's food flashed and disappeared just as quickly across his mind, but he paid it no heed.

"Actually…..could you guys give me a minute? I want to talk with Flora alone," Corrin requested. The blue-haired maid blinked, confused.

"O-okay?"

…

When the two of them were out of earshot of everyone else, Corrin turned to Flora, frowning.

"Did I do something to offend you?" He asked, bluntly yet calmly. Flora seemed startled by that.

"Huh? Offend me?"  
"Yes. Did I hurt your feelings?" the prince repeated, a contrite expression on his face. "I'm sorry if I did. I'll make it-"

She shook her head as frantically as she had in the hall. "N-no, of course not! You wouldn't do something like that. Don't worry about me, Corrin."

The prince was relieved. "Okay, so, what's wrong? The others are getting a little worried. You can tell me, even if you won't tell Felicia. Why won't you tell her, anyway?"

"She's my sister, Corrin," the maid explained. "…I'd prefer if she didn't always have to worry about me. She has better things to worry about."  
"You're _her_ sister too, Flora. If there's any _better things_ to worry about, that'd be where you fall in."

"….I'm sorry," the maid exhaled deeply, still averting Corrin's gaze. "….I just….this is a problem for me. It's been bothering me for a while, and I know, I should've come to you and Felicia and the others earlier, but I'm not sure about a few things."

"….do you want to talk about it?" Corrin inquired in as reassuring a tone as he could. Flora softly shook her head.

"Sorry. Maybe…..if I figure out what it is that's going on, then I'll tell you, but I'd rather not right now."

' _Besides, if I told him that I might be in love with him,'_ Flora thought to herself. _'…..no, I can't be. I'm not. It wouldn't work out, anyway, so I shouldn't worry about it.'_

"….well, do you want to take your mind off it for a moment?" Corrin offered with a friendly smile. Flora stared at him.

"How do you mean?"

"….you know, hang out outside for a day, eat some good food, walk around?" The prince explained, giving her a suspicious look. "What did you think I meant?"

The promise of some temporary respite from her confusion was tempting. Especially with Corrin; even if he was the subject of her confusion in the first place, perhaps he might also soothe it, if only for a while.

'… _.it's only as friends, anyway, so there's nothing to be afraid of. Nothing at all.'_

She gave him a small smile in reply. "That sounds nice. I do need a break, now that you've mentioned it. Maybe it's just the stress of work getting to me. A little fresh air will do me good."

* * *

 _Meanwhile…_

"…..what do you mean?" Kagerou calmly inquired, gazing around the room. Orochi appeared to be furious, a Dragon Spirit scroll clutched in her right hand and her left firmly planted on her hip.

"I meant, someone's been breaking into my house and stealing my supply of love potion! They've somehow managed to bypass all my charms, which means they're either sneakier than Niles, or they're an _onmyoji_ themselves."

"How do you know?"  
"Because I've had Flora come up here, worried she's been dosed with potion when she hasn't been and now I'm missing a vial. And I didn't use any."

The ninja looked around, her eyes searching the room for any evidence of a break-in. Aside from a swinging cabinet door where the potion had been stolen from, no sign that anyone had entered the room was obvious, even to her trained eye. Kagerou sighed, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Orochi, I'll see what I can do. I'll get Kaze here to help, see if he can find anything. I'd get Saizou, but I have a feeling he'd use this as some sort of excuse to go hunt down Corrin again. He's already dragged me along with him twice."

The potionmaker thought carefully. "…..you don't think Corrin's been-"  
"Of course not," the ninja calmly replied. "Corrin knows how to brew his own anyway. And you just told me before, Flora didn't have a single trace of potion in her."

Orochi sighed, closing her eyes and thinking carefully. "…we need to get to the bottom of this somehow. After all, if they start rooting into that…..other cabinet….."

Kagerou glared at her. "You still have those drawings?"

"I wasn't about to get rid of those," she gave her a cheeky wink. The ninja's cheeks reddened.

"…only Saizou and I are supposed to know about those. You'd better not have told anyone."  
"Not a soul~"

….

 _Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city…._

"I never understood how Hoshidan cuisine worked, but I can't help but enjoy it," Flora confessed, a stick of half-eaten _yakitori_ in her hand. Corrin nodded along with her.

"Well, I think it's the sauce."

"The sauce?"

"Yeah," the prince nodded in affirmation. "It's a thing I learned that's different about Nohrian and Hoshidan cuisine. Nohrian cuisine uses salting, smoking and drying out meats, which is fine for keeping the food preserved, but Hoshido actually plays around with spices and sauces. It's better for taste. You know, like you and Jakob do."

Flora looked surprised. "I….didn't think of it like that. I just learned to cook, that's all. I experimented with what I thought tasted good."

"Well, I'm thankful you have such great tastebuds then," Corrin remarked with a laugh. "But yes, apparently there's a theory to cooking."

"…..you know….I must seem so boring to you."

"Sorry?"

"You've been to the Outrealms, seen things and learned so much," the maid pointed out, rubbing her arm and looking away from him for a moment, before realizing something. "Sorry."

"For what?" the prince inquired, an eyebrow arched.

"I know you told me that I really have to have more faith in myself, and I'm trying," Flora explained with a sigh. "But it's hard to. It's hard to break out of the train of thought that you're…..barely worth anything."

"Hey, hey, baby steps," Corrin reassured her. "You can't break a habit like that easily. It takes time and a bit of coaxing. Not too much, though. And hey, I had problems with that too. I didn't exactly start out being the smooth and suave ladykiller I am from birth, you know."

Flora snorted, a tittering giggle barely held in. "You're suave, but a ladykiller and smooth, you need a little work on."  
"Aww, come on," Corrin protested. "You don't know how I am with women!"  
"You asked me for advice in asking out Azura, I believe I do. Speaking of which, how is that going?"

Corrin nodded slowly, thinking carefully. "….Huh, yeah. Azura. Um…..well, it's hard to muster the courage to even ask her out to dinner. Sorry, you know how it is; you're friends with someone so long, when you fall for 'em, you find it hard to tell the difference apart."  
"Y-yes," Flora faltered slightly. "I know the feeling. W-with Jakob, I mean."

"Hey, don't worry about it. Listen," Corrin motioned for her to turn to him, which she did. "I'm trying my best right now to set up some private time for you two. To talk out your feelings. You know, to get you some resolution."  
"Really?" The maid stared at him. "You d-did?"

"Well, I haven't worked out all the kinks," the prince replied, his enthusiasm not at all lessened. "But, if all goes to plan, you two should have a nice candlelit dinner. Just the two of you. Then we can really get to the bottom of this whole thing; either he likes you, and you two get together, or he doesn't, in which case at least you know you tried."

Flora nodded in reply. "Y-yes. I suppose so."

"…oh, damn, did I do it again?" Corrin sighed, slapping his palm against his forehead again. "Sorry, Flora, really, I didn't mean-"  
"No, you didn't mean it. I know," the maid reassured him, nodding. "I trust you. You'd never do something like that."

"…thanks," the prince smiled at her for that. "I still don't get the hang of social things sometimes. Growing up locked in a tower in the middle of nowhere will do that to you."

The sight of his smile caused her to blush ever so slightly and lightened her mood considerably. Flora returned it with one of her own.

"Well, we have that in common, don't we?"

* * *

 _Nearby…._

Felicia hummed to herself, carrying a bag of vegetables and meats with her. Corrin's act of kindness earlier had inspired her; Kaze had gotten her flowers the other day and so she thought it appropriate to pay back the debt. She smiled a little at the thought; Kaze hadn't just gotten her flowers, but flowers all the way from the old village of the Ice Tribe, where she and her sister had grown up. Little grew in the icy wastes, save that little flower, which was famed for its hardiness.

So she was planning to cook him something in return. It would have to be Hoshidan cuisine, of course; it wouldn't be right to cook him something from Nohr, so she wanted to make him something from his childhood. Maybe something simple, so that she wouldn't screw it up; perhaps a nice stew or a simple soup. It'd be hard to screw that up. Maybe she might even get her sister to help.

She giggled at the idea. Lately, she and Kaze had grown really close; they were seeing each other every other day, they were leaving little gifts for each other, and hardly a day went by that she didn't look forward to seeing his handsome visage. She'd hardly say they were in _love_ however. Besides, they were close, but they weren't on the level of kissing each other or living together or any other of the hallmarks of lovers that she'd gleaned from old books.

Nonetheless, the idea of living with Kaze for the rest of her life wasn't that unappealing to her. It made her blush just thinking about it.

"Heehee…"

The sound of Elise's giggling snapped her out of her daydream, and Felicia turned towards the source of the sound. The princess was crouched behind a bush, one hand pushing down a bough just enough for her eyes to peer through. The other was pressed to her mouth, hiding the sound of her giggles.

Felicia tilted her head, before stealing over towards her, her hand gripping the bag tightly so it wouldn't rustle too much.

"…Elise, what are you doing?" she whispered over to the princess. Elise continued giggling taking her hand off her mouth for a moment to point at what she was giggling at.

"Those two. Look!"

The maid pressed her face into the small gap in the boughs to see Flora and Corrin, talking and eating together. Flora seemed quite happy, and Corrin just as happy to see her so.

"Should you really be spying on them like this?" Felicia pointed out, but Elise waved her off.

"Oh come on. You're telling me you don't want to know what these two've been getting up to alone?"

The maid frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"You know. If they've been...you know, _together_?"

Felicia chuckled at that. "Oh, don't be silly. Corrin wants Azura, Flora wants Jakob. We all know that."

Elise gave her a curious look, as if to say "Really?".

"…..what?"  
"…haven't you been noticing all the weird stuff lately? Face it! She's totally in love with him!"

"No way!" The maid stared at her in surprise. "She's been in love with Jakob for ages, hasn't she?"  
"People change, right?" Elise pointed out cheerily. "And besides, aren't they really cute together? I wouldn't mind if you and Flora became my big sisters for real, you know. We all live in the same house anyway, so what'd be wrong with that?"

Felicia faltered. "I suppose so…..but wait, how do you know she's in love with him?"  
"Well, I don't _,"_ Elise admitted, looking away for a moment in embarrassment. "But it's a good guess, right? Why don't you ask her later?"

"That's actually a really good idea!" Felicia agreed wholeheartedly. "Maybe we could even help her if she is!"

"Yeah, and big bro would be so happy, too! Wait…." Elise paused, her eyes narrowing. "Who's that?"

"Who's what?" The maid peered in closer to see a figure in grey armor akin to Corrin's, a head of blue hair on his head sneaking around in the crowd, just behind Corrin and Flora. "Is that Kana?"  
"No, their hair's too short," the princess shook her head. "Has to be a guy."  
"Or a girl with short hair. Rinkah's hair's pretty short."

"True. Still, who _is_ that?"

* * *

Janus clutched a pair of smoke bombs and noisemakers in one hand, an empty satchel lying at his side The plan was simple, and he knew it had to work.

Besides, it wasn't bad for him to want his family back, right? That was hardly ever a bad thing. Except for the times it was; he'd read the old Elibean stories, he knew full well of the events of that particular saga, and in any case Aunt Elise had insisted on reading him those stories. In his defense, he was hardly an insane dark mage trying to find his wife while killing his children. He was a prankster, with a few vials of love potion that could easily be remedied.

He was still having doubts, though. Not enough to turn away from the plan, but doubts they were. Janus sighed to himself, closing his eyes.

"I promise, I'll only try once more, and then if this doesn't work, I'll give it up," he promised to his absent sister. "Besides….I want our family back together too."

' _It can't be bad if it's family you want, right?'_

He threw the first smoke bomb, rolling it just under Corrin's feet.

…..

 _Minutes later…_

"Stay close!" Corrin yelled as smoke bombs exploded behind him and loud noises of cackling laughter and other irritating cacophonies. Flora ducked beneath another bomb, looking up to Corrin.

"Where are we going?!"

"I have a bunch of supplies stocked somewhere! They should be just behind Kaze's house!"  
"Kaze's house?" Flora stared at him, confused. "Why?"

"He doesn't use it! Too many people know where he lives, so they keep leaving him letters!"

"Where does he live then?"

"Saizou's place!" Corrin said as he ducked another bomb. He vaulted over a barrel in the way, ducking aside into the side alleyway where he kept the supplies, contained in a small box hidden in a cavity behind a panel on Kaze's back wall. Smoke bombs, tranquilizer darts, sleeping potions and what-not; Mozu, Kaze and he had worked together to make this safebox for him to use just in case he needed to make a quick getaway. This was a crazy, noisy and bizarre town, after all; anything could happen here.

Also, he just liked the idea of having a safebox. It made him and his whole scheme sound cooler.

However, Corrin noticed the tripwire a second too late.

He felt the small string snap against his shin, the string whipping onto his bare foot before slumping to the floor. He heard the small signature _poof_ of darts being let loose. And Flora was just turning around the corner, and he saw the darts shooting out of some hidden dispenser, flying inexorably towards the maid. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty; possibly more, but Corrin didn't have time to count. They were going to hit Flora if he didn't do a thing about it.

Corrin didn't hesitate.

He yanked Flora aside with one arm, casting his cape upwards to deflect as much of the barrage as he could, and held Flora tightly against him, holding his body between her and the darts. Five of them found their mark, the rest swept aside by his cape or embedded in the fabric, their payload seeping out onto the stone path.

…

Flora squealed as Corrin suddenly- and a little roughly- hugged her to his side, casting his cape up. For a moment, if she was foolish, she'd have mistaken this for one of those scenes in her romance novels, where the great and strong hero would take his demure and fragile lover in his arms and caress her tightly and passionately.

Of course, Corrin was no romance hero, this was no romance novel, and Flora was no fool.

"C-Corrin!" She cried, her cheeks a little red from the surprise and the sudden close physical contact. "What are you….."  
"Hehehe…." The prince giggled.

' _What. No. What are you…..oh. Oh no,'_ the maid's heart sank as the faint smell of sickeningly sweet love potion wafted into her nostrils.

Corrin gazed at her, his eyes lovestruck and his mouth hanging in surprise.

"Wow, Flora…..I never….noticed, but you look…beautiful," he uttered with a slight slur, drunk on liquid love.

' _Oh, no no no no,'_ Flora thought to herself. _'I can't fix this! I'm…..I'm not Corrin! He'd know what to do!'_

* * *

 **To be continued….**

* * *

 **A/N: Will Corrin be cured of love potion? Will Flora figure out what to do? Will Janus succeed in his rather sad plan to get his family back? Will Kaze and Felicia ever just kiss for the love of all that is good and holy? Find out next time!**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, suggestions, reviews and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	30. The Valentine's Incident, Part 2!

"Hehe…..you smell nice today, you know that?" Corrin slurred out, tumbling after Flora, being dragged along with one arm by the maid. She, for her part, was searching for a way out of the situation she'd been placed in, dragging her friend along the back-alleys of Shirasagi City, her eyes constantly searching for darts or tripwires or all manner of insane traps set for her.

She felt a mixture of emotions at the whole situation. Flora was concerned for her friend, a little elated that he was currently singing her praises, and a little creeped out at herself for enjoying the fact that Corrin was singing her praises.

She was only enjoying it a little, but the feeling of wrongness remained.

' _He's only saying that because of the potion,'_ Flora harshly rebuked herself, selectively forgetting the many times Corrin had complimented her for the sake of getting on with their escape. _'He'd never say that if he wasn't under the effects of a love potion.'_

The fact that Corrin seemed to be leering at her buttocks wasn't helping her ability to concentrate.

Blushing, she pulled Corrin forwards and beside her, looking embarrassed.

"Awww, I was enjoying the view!" The prince childishly protested, but held put, immediately distracted by Flora's face. "Have I told you that you look lovely today?"

"Be quiet," the maid harshly ordered him, causing him to shut his mouth. "Alright, you stay close to me and don't say a word, okay?"

"Okaaaay!"

They walked out onto an intersection, a cart full of fireworks and puppets being pushed past by an old Hoshidan lady who paid them a brief look, before continuing on her way. Flora scarcely went out into Shirasagi City without Corrin- there was little here for her to see, unless it was the market and she needed Hoshidan ingredients- and so her mental map of the city was very patchy, but she knew enough to know where Orochi's house was.

It was, if she remembered quickly, ten minutes away. Probably the longest ten minutes of her life.

' _I just have to make it all the way there. Without being seen, heard or found by the person who just tried to dose us both with love potion,'_ Flora concluded. Her heart sank as she realised exactly how hard this would be, considering the only expert she knew of who could sneak around a city this well was currently clinging to her arm and attempting to sing sweet nothings into her ear.

' _The gods help us all.'_

…..

 _Meanwhile…._

"Waaaaaah!" Elise complained as she hastened past, almost tripping on the darts. Felicia caught her just in time, pulling her back from the ground.

"Careful!" The maid cried, helping the princess onto her feet.

"This is all going wrong!" Elise whined. "Who does that guy think he is anyway? They were perfectly fine before he showed up!"

"H-hey, calm down," Felicia attempted to placate her. "Corrin c-can do something about this, right? He's good at fixing things l-like this!"

"Actually, I accidentally might have hit him with a pair of darts full of love potion."

Both women whirled around to see the blue-haired boy from earlier, looking entirely sheepish. Elise stomped towards him, attempting to look as intimidating as possible. Of course, given that the boy, as short as he was, was still a head taller than the princess, this attempt was rather underwhelming.

"What did you do to _my_ older brother?!" Elise squeaked out as harshly as she could, glaring down the youth.

"I swear, it was an accident-" the boy started, but the princess' glare told him she wasn't buying any of it. The youth backed off, frowning.

"Okay, okay, Aun-I mean, lady, I _did_ mean to do it," he hastily corrected himself. "Okay, fine. I wanted to dose them both with love potion, but da-I mean, Corrin took all of them- why wouldn't he- and now we need to fix this very quickly!"

"…did you just call Corrin 'dad'?" Elise tilted her head curiously. "Who are you, anyway? Why do you even _want_ those two together?"

Felicia tugged at both of their arms. "H-hey, they're getting away! C-come on! We should g-go after them!"

The princess shot a venomous look at the blue-haired youth. "This isn't over, you hear? Now come on!"

Pinching the taller youth's ear, she dragged him along with force unbecoming of a woman of her petite size and miniscule frame, her arm having to reach up to pull him along.

"Ow, ow, ow," the boy groaned, unresisting against her force, knowing full well he completely deserved it.

' _Dammit, Aunt Elise probably_ did _take those lessons Effie offered her in self-defense,'_ Janus mentally complained. _'Her fingers are like_ pincers!'

* * *

 _Meanwhile….._

Flora's eyes flitted around the streets, hoping that whoever their mysterious attacker was had not followed them. Thankfully, thus far, they were mercifully unbothered. As it was after midday by this point, the streets were thinner, as most people returned to their places of work to dine, work or take siestas, meaning that there were less people she had to push through to get to Orochi's place.

"Oh, excuse me!"

She barely managed to evade Kaze as he tripped over a fallen piece of wood from a passing cart, two bags of groceries in his hands. The ninja tipped his head as a greeting, a light smile on his face.

"Sorry about that," he apologised. "These bags have been throwing me off today. They're rather heavy, you know? Your sister forgot these, so I was wondering if you knew where she was-"

'… _.not good,_ she realised. _'Definitely not good.'_

Flora held Corrin closer in order to conceal him from Kaze's sight; not that it helped too much, as Corrin was one head taller than her. The ninja tilted his head.

"…..is that Corrin with you?" He inquired. "Oh, well. Were you two running errands?"  
"…..of a sort," the maid evasively replied. "Corrin began feeling ill, so I was taking him to Orochi to see if she had something for it."

"Oh?" Kaze lifted an eyebrow. "Well, I could help-"  
" _That won't be necessary_ ," Flora calmly and bluntly replied, the memory of the last time she'd left Kaze with caring for her friend still clear in her head. "No, I am perfectly capable of taking him there on my own, thank you. My sister, I believe, should probably be looking for it in the direction we just came from."

"Are you sure I can't-"  
" _No_."

"I never noticed how blue your hair was before," Corrin slurred out, giggling from Flora's other side. "Do….do you see this, Kaze? Her hair's pretty blue!"

"…..yes, yes it is," Kaze nodded slowly, before looking to Flora, mouthing "love potion?". She nodded in the affirmative. The ninja sighed.

"Well, I knew this would happen eventually, and my knowledge of cures only goes so far. Very well, I'll leave you to it," Kaze nodded, before walking away. As he did, he paused. "Did Felicia, by any chance…..like my gift? It took me a while to find it."

"The flowers? It was sweet of you to bring those to her," Flora admitted, smiling. "She loved them."

"Ah, that's good to hear," he chuckled. "I was worried she wouldn't."

With that, he walked away at last. Flora sighed in relief; she didn't know how Kaze knew that it was a love potion that ailed Corrin, but she didn't ask. She pulled Corrin aside into a side street that looked abandoned, looking around to ensure there was nobody else following.

…

Felicia and Elise- still dragging the blue-haired youth along- caught up to where Corrin and Flora had been a few minutes ago, looking around.

"Where've they gone?", the princess asked, before groaning. "Awwww, don't tell me we lost them!"

"T-they can't have gotten far!" Felicia declared, unsure herself. "W-we just saw them!"

"Who herds cows into a city with roads this small anyway?" Elise complained. "If it wasn't for that herd, we would've kept on them!"

The youth winced, the princess' fingers still digging into his earlobe. "Ow! You don't have to pinch so hard!"

"Are you two looking for Flora and Corrin?" Kaze suddenly showed up in front of them. Felicia's face lit up.

"O-oh! Hello," she smiled sweetly at the ninja. "Yes, w-we were. W-why do you ask?"

"I just passed by them, on my way for me to give these back to you," Kaze replied, handing over a pair of grocery bags to her. The maid gasped in surprise, snatching them from his hands and squeaking in terror.

"Eeep! I….I f-forgot I wasn't….." Felicia suddenly found the stones at her feet quite interesting. "…..t-thanks…"

"That's quite alright," Kaze answered. "I figured you would do something like this, so I cleared my schedule and trailed you here, just in case you did forget your bags."

"…..that's kinda creepy, but also pretty sweet," Elise interjected, giggling. Felicia looked embarrassed, blushing and avoiding Kaze's gaze.

"Y-yeah, I….I suppose I d-did forget, huh? T-thanks for picking them up, anyway," the maid squeaked out. "U-um…do you mind if I, uh, ask you to c-come home with me? Sorry, Elise, y-you're going to have to go on by yourself."

"No problem at all," he replied. "I'd be happy to. By the way, milady, they're on their way to Orochi's house, if you were curious."

"Why don't you two get married already?" the blue-haired youth drily remarked. Neither the ninja nor the maid paid them any attention, and Elise dragged him along.

"Come on, come on! We have to get to Orochi's place! We can get those two married later!"

Kaze frowned. "That's not the sort of talk a princess should be-"  
He was too late to interject, as Elise and the youth had already made it halfway down the road away from them.

* * *

Flora sighed in relief as she slumped onto a bench, yanking Corrin on with her. Thus far, aside from Kaze- who seemed to know what was going on- she'd encountered nobody they knew. She wiped a bit of sweat from her temple, staring at Corrin, who was currently admiring her backside for the umpteenth time that day. She exhaled.

" _Corrin_ , my face is up here," the maid sharply reminded him. The prince pouted childishly and moved his gaze upward.

"Sorry," he uttered quietly, his voice slurred like a drunkard's. "You're just…..so perfectly _proportioned_."

"…you're just saying that because you're high on love potion," she calmly replied. "…..right?"  
"So what? Doesn't mean it's not true," Corrin retorted. Flora blushed a little, and giggled.

"…..even while not in complete control of your senses, you're still so sweet," she admitted, before exhaling again. "….Azura'll be lucky to have you."

"...hey, Flora?"

"Yes?"

Corrin smiled up at her. "….thank you."

"…what for?"

"….you stayed with me, even when you had the right to leave," he weakly answered, laughing. "…you know, I wouldn't have blamed you if you still left."

Flora stared at him, surprised. "…you wouldn't have?"  
"…..like I said, I'll always be your friend, Flora," Corrin softly repeated the words he'd said all those years ago. "Nothing would've changed that, even if you left. I would still have been your friend."

The maid felt her heart twinge a little. She knew- had always known- that Corrin would always be loyal to her. In some other world, a less fortunate one, she could imagine having betrayed Corrin despite his nature, but not this one; not a world where she knew he'd never turn on her and had seen physical evidence countless times.

But this time, it felt as if the declaration of loyalty had had a stronger effect on her. Maybe it was the confusion she'd had lately about what her true feelings for him were, or maybe it was just the thrill of the impromptu stealth mission she had to undergo. Regardless, her heart warmed at it.

Flora gave him a sweet smile. "…thank you."

"….you know, I'm probably not going to remember a word I say when you get the potion out of me," Corrin remarked in a moment of lucidity. "…but do you remember that night? Just us two at the festival? You looking sexy in that _yukata_?"

"…..I do."

"….you know what I wished for when we went to the Hill of Wishes?"

"W-what?" the maid stared at him, feeling her heart speed up just a little. The prince smiled.

"I wished you'd get someone you deserve. Someone who'll have your back, someone who'll give you the love you deserve. Someone who'll love you and you'll love back," he explained, before a cheeky smile flashed across his face. "Would you mind if I said that I hope it's me you wanted to be with?"

"….y-you're just saying that because of the potion," Flora cautioned him, but part of her wasn't so sure. There was honesty to his voice at that very moment that made it hard to believe that it was a potion-induced statement; some part of it, she felt, was inspired by some feeling deeply held within him.

Or maybe Flora just wanted, for a second, to believe that Corrin was serious. That Corrin really was in love with her.

She dismissed the idea, shaking her head.

"Come on. Let's go," she ordered the prince up, pulling him to his feet. "We're not far from Orochi's house. We'll get you fixed there."

….

 _Orochi's House_

"…..so, when are you and Saizou, as they say…..getting back together?" Orochi teased, flicking her scroll between her fingers. Kagerou groaned; this was the umpteenth time the enchantress had asked her that question.

"For the last time, Orochi, it wouldn't work out."

"Aww," the enchantress whined, a teasing smirk still on her face. "You two seemed like such a good match. And you live together, despite being supposedly unattached."  
"That's _different_ ," the ninja shot back. "It is simply more convenient that I live with him. His home is closer to the palace, so we can both keep an eye on Lord Ryoma."

"Understandable," Orochi conceded, telling from the tone of her friend's voice that this wasn't a line of discussion she wanted to continue down. "…sorry. You two seemed happy together before….the unpleasantries."

Kagerou exhaled deeply.

"…that's how life is," she bluntly replied. "You can't expect everything to work out the way you want it to. We had other duties. No matter what we both wanted, it was a sacrifice we had to make. And besides, in our line of business, we can't afford to be attached too closely."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Orochi pointed out with a smile. "If you want it hard enough, maybe you can make it work. That is, if he calms down. He's rather intense. Might be compensating for something~"

Kagerou snorted. "Please."

Suddenly, the front door slid open, and both women stood up, Kagerou sliding a shuriken from a hidden pouch into her hand and Orochi preparing to hurl magic at whoever walked in.

"Lady Orochi? Where are you?"

The voice belonged to Flora. Both of them calmed down, and then immediately tensed up again once they saw Corrin slumped against the maid as she walked in, placing him on a stool.

"Is Corrin wounded?" Kagerou asked immediately, scanning him for any injuries. Flora shook her head.

"No, he's fine. I just need Lady Orochi to make something that can flush out love potions."

"….so _that's_ where mine went!" The enchantress snapped her fingers, before looking irritated. "I swear, when I find the little rat who stole from me-!"  
"Orochi, focus. Corrin needs help right now," Kagerou cautioned her, pulling Corrin's head up to make definitely sure he was fine. She turned to Flora.

"…..tell us _exactly_ what happened."

* * *

 _Minutes later….._

"…so someone threw smoke bombs at you and then trapped you with darts?" Kagerou repeated Flora's explanation.

"Yes, that's exactly what happened."

"…and you're certain it wasn't one of Corrin's traps?"

The maid stared at her like she'd said something stupid. "No, of course not! Why would Corrin set a trap like that?"

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know?" Orochi teased, smiling as she carefully forced the last of the antidote down Corrin's throat. The prince's lustful eyes lost their haze, clearing as the mixture did its work and cleared the effects from his system.

"He'll be as right as rain," the potionmaker assured Flora. "Give him a moment."

Flora hastened over to his side. "….Corrin."

The prince jumped, as his consciousness returned to him and he looked around. "Ah! Flora! Wait…..where are we?"

"My humble abode,"Orochi chimed in with a warm smile. "Flora took you here."

"…..which means you didn't take any of the darts," the prince sighed in relief, smiling. "Good. I didn't want a repeat of the hot springs."

"…you don't remember anything from when we got hit in the alleyway until we got here, right?" Flora inquired, curious. Corrin shook his head.

"Nope, not a thing," the prince replied. Flora's head dipped just a little.

"A-ah. I see."

Suddenly, Elise burst in, yanking a blue-haired youth in by the ear.

"Owwwwwww," the youth whined, before his eyes widened in terror as he saw the others. "Uh-oh."

"I found him!" The princess declared proudly. "I found the guy, Corrin!"

Flora gave the boy a glare. "…..so, _you_ caused this?"

The boy nodded slowly. "Y-yeah, I….might've-"

Elise twisted his ear.

"OWWWWW! I mean…..yeah, I-I did."

Corrin stood up, slowly advancing towards the boy. "…..so. You interrupted my day out with my best friend, who's had a hard time lately, dosed me with love potion and then had the gall to admit it. And somehow got caught by my little sister."  
"Yes. As a matter of fact, I did. For a good cause."

Flora clenched her fists. "You-"

"Now, now, Flora, he did say it was a for a good cause," Corrin warned her, smiling. The maid stared at him, confused.

"Huh? But…what about what he did?"  
"Oh, that? Water under the bridge," Corrin waved it off, chuckling. "No, I won't lay a finger on you. Elise, let's go."  
"Huh?" The princess looked confusedly at her older brother. "Why not? D-didn't he-"  
"Just do it," the prince ordered, inducing his sister to relinquish her grip on the youth's ear. The boy rubbed his ear, groaning.

"That smarts…..and thanks, man, I really-"  
"I'm not done," Corrin cautioned him, a sudden mischievous glint sparkling in his eye.

' _Uh oh,'_ the youth thought. _'I know that look.'_

"Orochi, would you mind taking him off me?" the prince suggested, and Orochi, catching exactly what he meant, nodded.

"Oh. _Oh._ No problem whatsoever," the enchantress answered, before tapping her chin. "Now that you mention it, there have been a few….. _errands_ I need a strong, strapping young lad like this to do for me. Yes, quite a few. It might take a while, and be rather stressful on the arms."

The blue-haired boy blanched, but Corrin, taking Flora by the hand and Elise skipping behind him, paid it no heed.

* * *

 _An hour later, back in the palace…._

"Sorry you didn't get much chance to relax," Corrin said, taking a dish from Flora and drying it with a towel; they were both in the scullery, despite the maid's insistence that Corrin did not need to help her. The maid shook her head.

"Don't beat yourself up about it. Neither of us knew what was going to happen."

"I know," the prince answered, still unsatisfied. "You know, we _really_ have to stop ending up in weird situations every time we hang out. Like, the last time….well, you know, but now this…."

"…..it's really no problem," Flora assured him. "Besides, just spending time with you is enough. I-I mean, in the sense that it's the thought that counts."

Corrin chuckled, a smirk on his face. "Don't be flirting with me now. That's my job."

The maid rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to smile. Regardless, she shook her head, washing off the last dish.

"Corrin. Do you remember the Festival?"  
"Of course," he replied with a nod towards her. "Why?"

"Well…when we both were at the Hill of Wishes, and...you wished for me to be with someone I'd be happy with, right?"  
"That's right," the prince replied, nodding. "…did I tell you that when I was dosed with love potion?"  
Flora nodded in the affirmative.

Corrin sighed, slapping his forehead lightly with his palm. "I knew I'd say something weird to you. Well….yeah. You're right, I did. I do want you to be happy, and I hope that, whoever it is you do end up with, if you do, they'll be the one."

"…would you believe me if I said….." Flora suddenly looked down, playing with her fingers and blushing a little. "…if I said that I wished the same thing for you? That you'd be with the right person for you?"

Corrin stared at her, surprised. "…really?"

"Yes," Flora gave a curt nod. "Really."

The prince's mouth curled into a warm smile.

"….you know, you act like you're the worst person ever, but you're really not," Corrin remarked. "You know, if it was…..you know, you and me, together…..it wouldn't be so bad, huh?"

The maid's heart fluttered. She stood back, her cheeks red.

"C-Corrin, shouldn't you…..shouldn't you be talking like that only about Azura?"

"Ah, right, I did say that, didn't I…" the prince muttered under his breath, before raising his voice back to normal and looking back at her. "Well…..I suppose I can dream-"

Suddenly, the two of them were interrupted by shouting from the kitchen and dining hall.

"No, please don't do that, you're trailing _mud_ everywhere-"

"Oh, come on! It's just a little dirt!"  
"A _little_ dirt?! Any dirt at all is _far_ too much!"

"Come off it, will you? I've just been all the way from Cheve! Now, where's that loveable bastard…."

The shouting continued up to the scullery door, before the door smacked wide open, to reveal Scarlet, an audacious smirk on her face, two bags of clothing and assorted shiny baubles, being trailed by an irritated Jakob.

"Hey, Corrin!" The wyvern rider waved. "I decided I live here now! Don't worry about the guys over in Cheve, I've been spending the last few months training up my successors. Now I have a school of people who're just as good as I am taking care of that."

"No, you do _not_ live here!" Jakob firmly insisted. "Please, Scarlet, this is _ridiculous_!"

Corrin and Flora blinked in sync, not knowing quite what to say to this. Scarlet frowned.

"Oh, don't give me that look!", she complained, focusing on Corrin. "Besides, you don't mind, right?"

"Please tell her you do, Lord Corrin," the butler pleaded. " _Please_."

Corrin looked at the newcomer. "…..why are you moving in with me? You know, just so I'm sure you're not stalking me like Camilla or something."  
"It's a hell of a lot easier to make a trip from here to Castle Shirasagi than it is all the way from Cheve," she pointed out. "Have you _tried_ to fly all the way from there?"

"…..so you're here for Ryoma," Flora concluded. Scarlet gave her a thumbs up, grinning.

"Why else would I be here? I mean, apart from a social visit," she remarked, shrugging. "Besides, if he won't come out to Cheve because he's King of Hoshido, then I'll just have to come to him. Maybe he'll actually take me up on that drink for once."

Jakob groaned. " _Please_ , Corrin-"  
"Alright, Scarlet, you'll have the room next to Azura. It's a little small, but it's comfy."

The butler blanched in horror. Scarlet pumped her fist in triumph.

"Yeah, I knew I could count on ya!" The wyvern rider cheered, slinging her bags over her back and turning, raising her hand to high-five Elise, who happened to be skipping past.

Jakob stared at Corrin in horror. " _Why_?"

"Because Scarlet has no screen time in this fic and deserves some more. Also, because it'd be funny."

Flora shook her head, sighing.

' _Corrin. You…really are something, huh?'_

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: So, Scarlet lives with Corrin now and that was a rather interesting day. Sadly, you'll just have to wait until the stinger to find out what's going on.**

 **Next time will be another Short Stories chapter. So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, suggestions, reviews and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**

* * *

 _Hours later…._

"…..wow, you guys had a r-rough day, huh?" Felicia inquired, sitting on her bed facing her sister, both of them wearing nothing but thin nightgowns. She was trying to pretend that she had, in fact, not witnessed the events of said day. If Flora knew that she was keeping something from her, she didn't say.

She frowned. "….yes, yes we did. It was such a shame, Corrin and I were having a good day before that happened."

"S-sorry to hear," the pink-haired maid replied, reaching an arm across to pat her sister on the shoulder. "But hey, you can go out and do it some other time, right?"  
Flora smiled at the thought briefly, before shaking her head. "That…..that would be lovely. I just…..don't want to impose on Corrin. You can understand."  
"Oh, t-totally!" Felicia reassured her. "Totally, I understand!"

The blue-haired maid sighed. She looked down, playing with her fingers for a few moments, seemingly mustering her confidence, before gazing back up at her sister.

"Felicia-"  
"Flora-"

Both of them stared each other in the eye, having spoken at the exact same time. Flora made an unreadable expression, before retreating slightly, pulling away to give her sister space.

"…..you first," she insisted calmly.

"I was going to ask something," Felicia started, thinking over her words carefully. "…..what do you see in Jakob of all people?"

"….are you questioning his quality?" Flora gave her a suspicious look.

"No, I'm questioning w-why you have a crush on him."

"….well," the blue-haired maid thought carefully. "….he's hard-working and reliable. He's loyal, quite loyal…and the best friend you could ever have. He's been with me since we entered this fortress; we played together as children, we talked together and I can't…..imagine being away from him, no matter what."

She felt her heart racing slightly as she spoke. Flora paid it no heed for the moment.

"I owe him," the maid stated simply. "He became my friend when nobody else was, helped me even when I hurt him and even when I wasn't worth it. He makes my life worth living, because I know that if I keep on living, I'll get to see him again, even if I can't stand with him like Azura can. He's…"

Flora trailed off as she realised what she was saying. Or rather, who she was describing.

'… _..n-no. Why…...'_

For a moment, neither of them spoke, a look of realisation dawning upon the blue-haired woman's face as thoughts of the true object of her affections ran through her mind.

The pink-haired maid, for her part, was surprised. Elise had been correct, somehow. The seemingly sprightly and oblivious princess had caught on something that not even she, Flora's own _sister_ , had.

'… _..so…..she really_ has _moved on to Corrin, huh.'_

"That isn't Jakob, Flora. You and I both know who it is, really," Felicia softly corrected her, a soft smile on her face. "…do you need a moment to take it in?"

"…..I….." Flora almost choked, before breathing in. "…..yes, I will need a moment."

Felicia stood up, nodding at her older sister, before walking off to the latrines. She needed to go anyway, and it was far enough out of earshot for Felicia to start cheering without Flora or anyone else hearing.

* * *

Flora, meanwhile, stared at the floor, trying to come to terms with what she'd just said.

There was no denying it now; it was impossible. Everything had been made clear, everything had been revealed. The cat was out of the bag, and Felicia, by purpose or accident, had triggered the revelation.

"I…no matter how much I tried," the maid uttered, utterly defeated and her will spent. "…..no matter how much I resisted it...I couldn't help but fall in love with him."

Flora felt tears well in her grey eyes. She knew she couldn't be with him; she believed she didn't deserve him. He deserved someone _better_ ; someone just like him, someone who'd make him happy and give him the fairy-tale happy ending he deserved to have after working hard to make sure everyone else had theirs. Azura, maybe, but anyone who fit this description would do.

That wasn't her. It could never be, it _shouldn't_ be.

But she couldn't help it. She wanted him desperately, and wished for a moment that she had courage enough to run to him, tell him that she yearned for him, as if that would persuade him to take her with him, as if that would change the reality of her situation. She wanted- no, _needed-_ to be the one who made him smile for a change and pay him back for the years and years that he'd stood at her side, through thick and thin. He was worth living for; seeing him smile made her heart swell and the prospect of him being gone from her side made her feel emptier inside.

"I'm…I'm in love," Flora finally, tenderly admitted. "I fell for him. For Corrin."

She felt a twinge of fear, looking around instinctively to ensure he hadn't heard her, fearing to hear his reassuring voice, see his handsome smile, hear him reject her like she'd been rejected by Jakob; the thought jerked more tears to her eyes which she barely fought back.

When she was thankfully alone, the maid exhaled deeply, the words she'd said ringing in her ears, a declaration to the world that could no longer be retracted, a weight lifted off her chest.

She loved Corrin. She couldn't deny it any longer and could no longer hide it.

Flora didn't know when she'd started; maybe she'd had feelings for him since the Festival of Stars had left her lonely and Corrin, as he always did- always would-, came for her and took her along and they'd shared that moment, when their eyes met under the stars. Maybe she'd really had feelings for him since that day in the ravine, and all the pretence of having feelings for Jakob was a juvenile crush to mask her true feelings. Flora couldn't know and didn't care.

All she knew, in this moment, was that she loved Corrin.

And that she was scared of losing him to someone else.

Flora stared at the floor, not knowing what to do with herself.

* * *

 **END OF ACT 2**


	31. Corrin Reacts to Side Stories, Part 2!

**Corrin Reacts to Side Stories, Part 2!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Yes, it's that time again where we're between Parts. Or, well, arcs. Arc is probably more accurate, considering we got ourselves three arcs (well, technically we had two arcs in the first Part, but whatever). ANYWAY. So we had a few noodle incidents and such that we alluded to. Well, I never intended them to be noodle incidents, so…here you go. Just a little chapter for me to have a bit of a break between reactions and such so I can reassess my plan for this, and let's go!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise there would be more non-European cultures in the games. (You know, aside from Hoshido, which doesn't count.)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

 _The Dragon of the Waters and the Maiden from the Ice_

 _This story takes place years and years ago, in Kana's timeline._

 _Fourteen years ago, Kana's timeline, somewhere in the Hoshidan countryside….._

"She's sick," Elise sighed, shaking her head as she lifted the back of her hand from Kana's forehead. The blue-haired child lay in bed, her face red with fever. She sniffled and sneezed, before rubbing her nose.

Flora frowned, looking between her child and her sister-in-law. She fiddled a little with the ponytail she'd tied her hair into, a worried expression in her grey eyes. "How bad is it?"

The princess smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about it! She'll be right as rain if she just gets a little rest."

"Good grief," Corrin remarked, rubbing the back of his head. "What did we tell you two about playing outside in the rain that long?"

"S-sorry, Papa…." Kana uttered weakly, sniffling. "Janus j-just seemed like he was having so much fun, is all, and I-I didn't want to r-ruin him and Kiragi's fun…."

Janus, also sick with fever, was already asleep, the only thing visible of him being the head of messy blue hair poking out from a thick blanket. Corrin had always wondered why his children had Flora's hair and not his; maybe blue hair was simply a dominant trait.

Not that he minded; he always found Flora's hair beautiful.

"Well, Xander's probably going to be worried if I stay here too long," Elise stood up from her chair, but not before patting Kana on her head. "Don't worry, dear, you'll be able to play more!"  
"W-will you….come and play with us, Aunt Elise?" the young girl inquired, a begging pout on her face. Elise giggled, tapping a finger on her chin.

"Maaaaaaybe. Ophelia wants to see you, too!"  
"Don't encourage her," Corrin drily remarked, but he was still smiling. His sister really was great with kids; if her daughter was anything to go by, she was also a great mother, if a little eccentric.

"Bye!" the princess waved, before walking out of the room and downstairs towards the exit of their humble abode.

Flora frowned, moving a strand of hair from her daughter's eyes. "Well, you heard your aunt. You should get some sleep, dear."

"Awwwww….." Kana whined before sneezing once more, covering her mouth with her hand. She groaned, sniffling. "….but I can't sleep."

Corrin sighed wistfully. He knew the drill. Pulling up a chair, he sat next to Flora, gazing towards his daughter.

"Do you want us to tell you a story then?"

Kana's eyes lit up gleefully, and her parents couldn't help but smile. She nodded as excitedly as she could, the pounding in her head keeping her from doing it too quick.

"C-could you t-tell me…..the one about the dragon and the maiden again?" Kana innocently requested. Flora and Corrin shared a look, the latter raising an eyebrow.

"If it's okay with you," the prince conceded. The blue-haired woman smiled, nodding.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"It's the story of how you met, right?" Kana eagerly suggested. Flora simply maintained her smile, rubbing her daughter's head softly.

"Never you mind what it is. It's just a story."

"…well, I might as well start," Corrin remarked, breathing in deeply.

* * *

 _Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there was a dragon, locked in a small, small cage. An evil king took him away from his home to do his bidding and fight for him. The little dragon was lonely, being so far away from his family, and he always wondered when his family would come for him. He was always lonely in his cage, even when they gilded it and fed him well, because he had no family and no friends who cared for him._

 _One day, the king who had taken him gave him a maiden from the ice, to serve him and do his bidding, and other servants besides. When he set eyes on the maiden, the dragon was enraptured, and he for the first time, did not feel lonely. For her eyes were the fiercest grey, her hair the bluest blue and her body, the envy of-_

… _.._

Flora blushed, embarrassed, and lightly shoved Corrin's arm. Her husband smirked mischievously.

"C-Corrin!" the ice maiden protested. "Kana doesn't need to hear that!" Her husband grinned _._

"Why not? It's part of the story, after all. And we can't not tell our daughter the full story."

Flora crossed her arms. "….you really are shameless, you know that?"  
"Well, it worked to get you to marry me, didn't it?"

The maiden giggled. For all that it was embarrassing, he was right about one thing.

…

 _For the first time, the dragon had felt love, and knew not what to do, so long had he been trapped in his cage. Other people followed and became close to the dragon-_

…..

"Ooh! Ooh! Like Aunt Felicia? And Uncle Kaze and Uncle Jakob?" Kana interrupted, wide-eyed. Corrin laughed, closing his eyes and shaking his head, before patting Kana.

"I said, don't worry about it. It's just a story, Kana."

…

 _Other people became close to the dragon, but only the maiden from the ice stayed close to the dragon's heart. He made friends with the maiden, all the while wondering how to tell her that he loved her dearly, and so it was that eventually, the evil king let the dragon from his cage to fulfil what he had wanted. The dragon was forced away from the maiden and returned to his homeland, where his family begged him to stay._

 _To protect the maiden who had so captured his heart, the dragon stayed with his family, vowing to overthrow the evil king. What he did not know was that the king had threatened the people of the maiden from the ice, and so it was with heavy tears that she fought the dragon upon the battlefield, to protect her people. The dragon did not feel betrayed, but shocked, that the woman he loved was forced to fight against him._

….

At this point, Corrin felt Flora's hand tighten around his. The prince looked up, and the former maid simply nodded.

"Huh?" Kana tilted her head. "What happens next?"

"…..are you okay, Flora? You sure you want me to keep telling this?" Corrin whispered. Flora thought for a moment, before nodding.  
"I'm fine, dear," she reassured him softly. "…..continue."

…..

 _After a long and arduous battle, the maiden was defeated in battle by the dragon, who had tears in his eyes. Distraught with fear for her family and wanting to atone for her mistakes, she enshrouded herself in flames, intending to end herself upon a funeral pyre. She thought it a fitting end; that the maiden from the ice be burned alive._

 _The dragon, seeing the woman he loved dying before his eyes, had little choice._

 _With all his might, the dragon pushed the maiden to the snowy ground, taking the flames upon himself. Though he suffered many burns as a result, he had avoided the greatest wound of all; one to the heart. The maiden was badly hurt, and she had to rest and recover, but the dragon refused to leave her side even as he himself could barely move. But the hurt that had been done to the maiden from the ice was too much. She had fallen into a sleep so deep, that all the people in all the land could not rouse her. It was said that the maiden was lost to all who asked, and the dragon was dismayed._

… _.._

"What happened next?" Kana was as close to jumping as she could get in her supine state.

"I'm getting to that," Corrin calmly stated, tut-tutting at his daughter.

…..

 _But the dragon did not give up. Though he fought on, to defeat the evil king, every spare moment he had he spent by the maiden's side, hoping against hope that she would wake once more. There he stayed, when he was not in battle, at her side, as the seasons passed and days turned to weeks and weeks into months. He told her stories; stories of battles they had won, stories of small things and stories of all kinds. And sometimes, he just talked for the sake of talking._

 _And one day, he said, knowing she'd never return his feelings, that he loved her, and cared not if she were to wake and still love him not._

 _One day, his hope had all but failed him. Being by her side once more, the dragon bade her farewell, as the pallbearers gathered and the coffin readied for her. With a heavy heart, he turned to leave, but as he did, he felt something tug on him. He turned to see that the maiden, at last, had awoken from her sleep. She had heard him, day after day, after day, and her heart was touched._

 _Slowly, the dragon helped the maiden back to health, and she began to return his love. In no time at all, they were wed, and there was much rejoicing. And they lived happily ever after._

… _._

Corrin smiled. "And that's how that story ended."  
Kana pouted. "Awwww. What happened to Gar-I mean, the evil king?"

Flora laughed, moving a stray strand of hair from her daughter's eyes. "That will have to wait until tomorrow night. Get some rest, Kana. You'll get better faster if you do."

The young girl sighed, but knew there was no arguing with her mother. She settled into bed, turning her head away and closed her eyes to sleep. Corrin sighed, standing up, accompanying his wife out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

When they were sure Kana couldn't hear them, Flora spoke.

"…that's not how it happened," the maid pointed out, a slight smile on her face. "Were you making a bit of that up for Kana?"  
"Of course," the prince replied, giving her a kiss on the cheek. " I can't be letting her know _everything_ about the war. She's too young. And besides, I like my version better."

Flora rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless. But…..that's why I love you, I suppose." She reciprocated the kiss with one of her own, before stumbling onto Corrin. "Ah!"

The prince caught her, staring at her in surprise. "Flora! Are you okay?"

"…sorry," the blue-haired woman shuddred, clutching her head. "…..I felt….odd there, for a second."

"…..are you going to be okay?"

Flora nodded, slowly pulling herself up. "I'll be fine. I think…..I just need a little rest, is all."

* * *

 _Two years ago, the current timeline, Shirasagi City…._

Kana closed her eyes, banishing the fond memories from her mind's eye. She looked over her younger brother, already asleep in the bed next to hers, his blue head of hair popping out, just as unkempt as it had been all those years ago. They had a room in an inn just outside the former market square. Corrin, she knew, was staying in the palace, grieving over his dead mother, the Queen Mikoto.

Kana had tried to stop the assailant, she really did. She and Janus had trailed the man the moment they saw the hooded figure, but they lost him in the crowds, Shirasagi being unnaturally busy. That, of course, simply added to the casualties when the square exploded with dark energies.

She closed her eyes, saying a quick prayer to the Dawn Dragon for those who had died in the attack. This was one of the problems with time travel; even with the best knowledge, some events were near impossible to prevent. Kana then opened her eyes, gazing out towards the darkened palace, the streets below filled with torchlight as people attempted to gather the dead or salvage what had been broken in the explosion.

These were the stakes of preventing the invasion she knew was coming. She knew that she couldn't say the name of the Kingdom- Valla, she knew it to be, from books and old legends she could find scraps of. Kana knew that they would come, and she knew that someone had to stop them.

And who else to do it than her father?

The memory; both this and all others- were her promise, her bond. That she would save her mother. That she would save her father. That she would save everyone. Kana exhaled deeply.

"…Mama, please," she implored quietly, as if her mother's soul was watching over her. "Watch over me. And wish me luck."

Settling in, Kana tossed a blanket over herself, closing her eyes to drift off to sleep. She knew that in a matter of days, Hoshido and Nohr would go to war over the death of Queen Mikoto.

Tomorrow, she had to find Corrin and prevent it.

* * *

 _That Stunt Flora Pulled With Camilla Back In The Port_

 _This story takes place during Corrin's campaign against Valla, as Corrin attempts to recruit allies to fight the threat of the Invisible Kingdom._

" _Kill the Traitor Prince Corrin. Do as I say, and your people will be rewarded as heroes of Nohr. Fail and you, your father and your tribe's lives shall all be forfeit."_

Garon's words rang in Flora's ears, as she returned home to the Ice Tribe's village, the wind and snow whipping just beyond the borders of the village. She sat alone in her room- once shared with Felicia, who had run away to join Corrin- staring at the wall opposite, the whole room devoid of decoration.

Below, she could hear her father Kilma discussing the future of the Ice Tribe, as the other elders would be concerned with the threat and whether fleeing or aiding the tyrant king Garon was the best course of action. For her part, she already knew; the Ice Tribe couldn't possibly fight Garon. She knew that they would choose to aid the King. To sacrifice Corrin to save themselves.

She didn't judge them. Corrin was but one man. The Tribe was more important. Who was he to them, save some traitor prince who Garon wanted dead? Their families; their brothers, their siblings, their spouses and their children were threatened unless they delivered the head of the Traitor Prince to Garon's feet themselves. To them, the death of one man they had never met nor known was nothing; a small price to pay to ensure that the Tribe would live on.

But Flora couldn't claim not to know Corrin. He was more than just another face to her.

Corrin was her friend; true, officially he was her master, but Corrin had always emphasised that she was free to leave, and he wouldn't stop her. Not that she would; Garon's wrath would fall swiftly should he have found that she had escaped, and anyway she'd be leaving her sister behind in the belly of the beast.

Her mind drifted back to the last time she had escaped; to the pained reassurances that poured from Corrin's mouth as he carried her through the snow, slowly dying from exposure and to the kind words that he had said when they'd awakened days later from their ordeal.

"….an enemy…..is a friend who just doesn't know it yet," Flora repeated quietly. "…Corrin…."

She closed her eyes. The thought of betraying him had crossed her mind. It would be so easy, so _tempting_ to take Garon's command, to betray Corrin and lead the charge to kill him, to save her people. Nobody would blame her; Corrin wouldn't blame her, certainly. He'd probably smile at her, tell her it would be okay as his lifeblood poured from him and his body grew cold and limp.

He'd understand. He always would.

Flora, of course, knew that her sister wouldn't. Jakob wouldn't. Gunter wouldn't. Three of the four people aside her father she cared for in the whole world wouldn't understand. They'd see her betray their best friend, the man they grew up with, the son Gunter never seemed to have had.

 _Her_ best friend.

The thought of betraying him shook Flora to the core. How could she betray the man who had befriended her after all she'd done to him? How could she turn on him when he stayed by her side in that dark, dank fortress all those years?

How could she kill him, when he'd saved her life on threat of his own?

This whole situation was troublesome. This war between Hoshido and Nohr, this war over some queen who nobody even knew who killed her, and Corrin was in the middle of it all and she hardly knew why. Not that it was her place to know; she was just his maid. Just some tribal woman from the country. This was beyond her level. This was the game of monarchs and rulers; she was but a pawn for the King.

Garon didn't expect her to care, either. It was why he asked her to do it, to kill Corrin. Because he assumed she wouldn't ask; that she'd do what she would for her tribe, for her country, because he assumed she wouldn't care enough to ask _why_.

She closed her eyes, trembling and breathing heavily. Flora knew the answer to her own question, right then and there.

"No, _'_ she finally decided, speaking aloud to a non-existent judge. "I refuse to let it happen."

So that was it. Flora had resolved to go against the ultimatum she and her people had been dealt. The maid felt a weight off her chest, now that she'd made her choice.

Maybe in some other time, in some other world, she would've broken her vow of loyalty and all bonds of propriety to save her people at Corrin's expense, but if there was, it was not this world. Certainly, Flora would not allow it.

Still, her people needed to be protected somehow. Protecting Corrin was important, but her people were equally so. Flora knew that she had to convince her father that Corrin was someone they needed to protect.

She didn't know if her plan would work. She just had to decide if she trusted Corrin to do what needed to be done.

And trust him she did.

The maid stood up from her bed, strolling towards the door to join the meeting below.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, on the sea to Nohr…._

Corrin closed his eyes, lying in the hammock below the upper deck of the ship. The ocean was quiet that night; no storms and it was a clear night, with the multitude of stars visible in the dark sky above. He heard the faint snoring of Saizou nearby. The prince faintly mused that it was hilarious that someone as serious and composed as the ninja still fell prey to the scourge of snoring in his sleep. Corrin would have had the better quarters above, but this was the first time Sakura had been out to sea, and she nearly got dreadfully seasick. Corrin, against her protests that it was fine, insisted that she had the quarters above deck, which swayed a little less.

Of course, the sound of faint footsteps woke him, to see Felicia, a worried expression on her face, as she frowned over the prince.

"…..C-Corrin….", she started nervously, rubbing her arm. The prince already knew what she was going to ask.

"….for the last time, Felicia," Corrin reassured her with the tone of a resigned, but still caring friend. "Kaze will be fine."

The maid didn't seem quite so satisfied with that answer. "But what if-"  
"I didn't send him to Windmire, Felicia," Corrin remarked. "I sent him…..somewhere safe. And he'll be back in time to rejoin us, assuming we don't run into difficulties. I just needed him to do something for me. That's all."

Felicia's frown remained. Corrin sighed.

"…look, Kaze can handle himself. Quit worrying about him. What are you, his wife?"

The maid blushed at the idea. "N-not yet! I-I mean, n-no!"

"….okay," the prince nodded. "Good night. Get some sleep. You look tired."

She still was unsatisfied, but she could hardly argue with him. Yawning, Felicia nodded and walked back to her hammock, leaving Corrin alone to his thoughts.

The prince's thoughts, as Felicia walked away, drifted towards to her sister. He knew that Flora had to be thinking the same thing as him; how bad this situation was. He forced down the tears that came to his eyes, remembering what had kicked off this whole situation.

His mother, who he'd barely known and had only spent a week with, had died because some magical assassin had attempted to kill him. Next thing he knew, he had to watch his siblings march off to war. The tears that ran down Elise's face that day stuck in his mind; he was going to make amends to her somehow, eventually, when it was all over, when he ended whatever this thing was below both their kingdoms before they ended each other.

Elise, he knew, was safe. Xander, Leo and Camilla would never let anything happen to her; they would sooner die than see their little sister be hurt. And those three were strong and Garon wouldn't hurt them; not as long as he needed them, anyway. But he knew his siblings would figure their own way out.

Flora, however, he was concerned about. Of his friends, she alone remained in Nohr. He knew that Garon would be furious he left; but without either of his servants or Gunter to take his rage out on, Flora alone remained. The various horrific fates that he could inflict upon her crossed his mind.

A flare of fear, then rage, crossed Corrin's mind, at the thought of Flora being hurt. The prince clenched his fist.

He wouldn't let it happen. She was his friend, and he would do his best to protect her.

"…..I don't know if this will work," Corrin muttered to an unseen audience. "….but for her sake, I hope it does."

* * *

"It will be easier for both of us to fight if we don't cling to sentimentality, brother dear," Camilla smiled wickedly, mounted on her wyvern. The group stood on their ships, which were frozen still in the icy waters, as Nohrian forces surrounded them on boats unmolested by ice. The princess of Nohr flew, circling the boat. Hinoka and Subaki itched to fly themselves, but the threat of being shot down by the archers of Nohr grounded both of them, as their Tenma beasts squirmed nervously beneath their riders.

"I'm trying to save both Hoshido and Nohr, Camilla!" Corrin insisted, but Camilla shook her head. She landed back on the ship she had taken off from, next to the red-headed woman and the blue-haired assassin- Selena and Beruka, they were called, Corrin had learned their names a while back- and exhaled deeply.

"I hear your words, Corrin," the princess replied. "…..but Father has demanded you be put to death. I love you, brother dear, from the bottom of my heart, but I can't disobey Father. It's a tragic end, but….you betrayed Nohr."

"No….." Corrin breathed.

"…..and treason has to be punished with death," Camilla completed. "Flora, would you be so kind…."

The prince froze at the sound of his friend's name. Felicia, standing next to him, stared in horror with him as her sister emerged, a Freeze staff and a dagger in hand, from the deck below. The maid bowed to Camilla curtly.

"Yes, milady."

A driving snow began to fall as Flora mustered her power over ice and snow, and the wind began to pick up. Felicia called over to her sister.

"Flora!" She cried desperately. "You d-don't have to do this! C-come on, you can come with us!"

Corrin nodded along, calling over. "Come with us, Flora!"

The maid shook her head.

"Corrin, I cared for you greatly back in the castle," Flora confessed. "But I will show you no mercy. Nor will I allow harm to come to Lady Camilla."

"Don't tell us you….froze the ocean!" Felicia cried. Flora sadly nodded.

"King Garon has commanded that the Ice Tribe eliminate Corrin. And I will. If I don't, then the tribe will be sentenced to death. Listen to me, Felicia, I love you. For the good of the tribe, I must chill my heart and do what is commanded."

Corrin breathed deeply.

"Did that day…..in the ravine…..mean nothing to you?!" He yelled at her, feelings of betrayal welling in his heart. Flora stood aback, surprised by his outburst, closing her eyes.

For a moment, Corrin detected something in her expression. Something odd.

As if Flora wasn't entirely on board with what was going on.

' _Flora…..'_ the prince thought carefully. _'…..what are you playing at?'_

"Corrin," Azura suddenly spoke. Her eyes had been on the snow around the boats. "Look. The snow."

The prince was snapped out of his fugue, as he followed Azura's finger. "What about it?"  
"It's…not around us," she realised. "It's…..around the archers."

Indeed, Flora's summoned snowstorm was completely clear of their boats, and driving at the archers on her own boats instead. The Nohrian archers began backing off, as the snow whipped and snapped at them. Camilla looked around, her visible eye widened as she realised exactly what the maid had done.

"What….." the princess started, turning to Flora slowly. "…..is the meaning of this?"

Corrin's eyes lit up, as he realised what the maid was doing. He smiled.

' _Flora…..you never turned on us after all.'_

"Sorry, milady," the maid calmly replied. "But I will _not_ let Corrin come to harm. Not while I draw breath."

Her hand slashed out in the blink of an eye, and a dagger slashed Camilla across the cheek. It did no real harm, but it was enough to distract her. Her wyvern reared as Camilla pulled the reins with her. In that same moment, Flora sprinted away, managing to evade the blind slash of the axe the Nohrian princess attempted to hit her with. Several heroes attempted to pounce on her, but the maid, with trained skill, managed to evade their strikes.

Camilla's eyes filled with wrath as she turned back towards her, a thin red line across her face where Flora had struck her. "Beruka!"

"Mission acquired," the assassin nodded, before taking off with her wyvern, leaping straight at the maid.

…..

Felicia turned to Corrin hurriedly. "We have to do something!"

The prince looked around at Subaki. "I'll need to borrow your ride."

"….do you know how to ride one?"

"I'll have to learn quickly! Now do it!"

The elegant warrior acquiesced, dismounting and helping Corrin on, handing him the reins. The prince nodded to Hinoka and Takumi.

"Hinoka, ride with me. Takumi, cover me. I need you to keep the woman on the wyvern off me!"

"Why should I-"  
"JUST DO IT!" Corrin hissed, before taking off unsteadily, the Tenma not used to his weight but getting adapted quickly. Hinoka followed suit, flying in front of Corrin.

Takumi rankled slightly at the interloper's orders, but at the same time, he could hardly argue with them. There was a tone of desperation in his supposed brother's voice that the decent man in him could not- would not- ignore.

"Tch…..dammit," he drew the Fujin Bow and aimed at the Nohrians. "You'd better thank me for this later, Corrin."

….

Flora backed away as the now-hostile Nohrian soldiers surrounded her. She was out of daggers and she was barely fending them off with her staff. The feeling of regret flashed across the front of her mind, but she shook it away.

No time to regret it. It was time to put the second phase of her plan to use. If, that is, she could get to Corrin before the Nohrians killed her.

And considering Beruka was bearing down on her hard, that might be a little difficult. Still, it was nothing she couldn't handle.

' _You can do this, Flora,'_ she reassured herself. _'You can do this. You just need to get past her. That's all.'_

The maid sprinted right at Beruka, staff at the ready. The assassin didn't flinch, trailing her axe to catch Flora on the run.

Flora closed her eyes, trusting that her instincts would guide her. It was now or never; if she hesitated, if she stopped, if her footing was off by inches, she was dead and the Ice Tribe would die for what she'd done.

'… _no pressure.'_

Leaping up, the maid clambered onto the wyvern, stepping onto Beruka's axe blade. The assassin lifted her axe to tip Flora off of it, but the maid deftly rolled onto the deck behind the assassin before flipping back onto her feet and continuing her sprint towards the side of the ship.

Beruka looked behind her, watching the maid flee in silence and pulling the reins up. She knew already that it was no use; she couldn't turn that quick, not without throwing herself off.

"How _dare_ you?!"

Flora squealed, as she heard Camilla bearing down on her, her axe at the ready and diving straight at her. The maid hurled a blast of freezing magic at the princess, but she was too quick, the blast barely coating her lavender hair in frost.

She had no choice.

Flora dove off the side of the ship, head first onto the thick ice. She would surely die if she stayed. She just needed to-

"I got you!"

Suddenly, she gasped as she landed on the back of a Tenma, almost slipping off. Flora's hands reached out to grab something, and Corrin's arm caught her across the forearm. With a grunt, Corrin pulled the maid up behind him, as she wrapped her arms around him for safety's sake, and he reared the Tenma up to return to the ship.

"C-Corrin!" Flora breathed out, her breaths heavy and fatigued. "How did you-"

"Just hang on!" The prince ordered. "Don't you _dare_ let go!"

"….why….even after what I said-"  
"I don't _care_ what you said, Flora, we're over that," the prince replied. "I'll always have your back. You understand that? Always! Now let's go!"

Camilla leapt upwards with her wyvern, but a thrown spear dissuaded her from moving further as Hinoka twirled another spear in her hand, placing herself between her brother and her Nohrian counterpart.

* * *

Corrin and Flora landed back on the deck of their own ship, dismounting with Corrin catching the maid as she did. Subaki carefully received his mount back. Hinoka followed suit, with Camilla and Beruka's pursuit being held off by Takumi's arrows.

Flora breathed heavily, looking up at Corrin. "…..you saved me. Again. I…..t-thank you."

The prince sighed, putting her down and letting her stand against him for support; not that he wasn't also doing the same to her. "….don't mention it. Like I said, I'll always have your back."

"…this is all rather romantic," Azura remarked, raising an eyebrow. "But we're still surrounded by a lot of very angry Nohrians."  
"And the Ice Tribe!" Flora suddenly remembered. "The Ice Tribe…..they're in danger. Corrin, you have to get them out as soon as possible. If we win here, Garon will surely go after them. I've told them to leave, but-"  
"Don't worry about it," Corrin shook his head, nodding. "Kaze's taking them somewhere safe. I sent him there to make sure they were safe. He should be taking them to people who'll keep them safe in Hoshido for the duration of the war."

"How did you…." The maid started.

"I trusted you wouldn't turn on us, and I needed that to make sure that the plan would work. Otherwise, they'd all be here, to kill us, and Kaze would've been back already," the prince replied, before smiling. "And I knew I could trust you, Flora."

The maid stared at him in surprise.

She returned the smile, realising that her faith in him had been rewarded.

"…and I knew I could trust you too. Now…..shall we fight? I'm going to need a dagger."

* * *

 _The present day….._

"…wow," Scarlet blinked. "That's what Flora did? And the girl says she's not worth anyone's time."

Azura chuckled. "Well. She'd say that, wouldn't she?"

The two women were sitting in the dining hall of the castle, Scarlet with a tankard of beer and Azura with a glass of wine. The wyvern knight grinned.

"Well, it's a surprise those two aren't hooking up, huh?" Scarlet remarked. "I mean, those two had each other's backs easy."

Azura shrugged. "Well, I suppose it is. Can you believe that people think Corrin and I are a couple?"

Scarlet lifted an eyebrow. "You aren't?"  
"He's just a friend of mine," the songstress replied bluntly. "And, though it'd make it easier, I don't plan on marrying him."  
The wyvern knight smirked. "Oh? Who?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Azura answered with a teasing smirk. Scarlet sat back, taking a gulp of her tankard and laughing.

"Ah. You know, I never really got the chance to talk to you before, but I think I'm starting to like you."

"The feeling's mutual, Scarlet. Now…..about that other thing…."  
"Oh, the Antic Order?" She answered. "Yeah, I thought about it. Helping hook Flora up with Jakob? Sure. The girl needs a little happiness, after all. I'm game."

Azura smiled.

"That's the answer we wanted."

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: So, enough Florrin shipping for today, now we wait for another two months for the next chapter. Which, for the curious, will be…Fire Emblem Fates. That's right, we're going back to the game itself now!**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed that, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, suggestions, reviews and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	32. Corrin Reacts to Fire Emblem Fates Pt 1

**Corrin Reacts to Fire Emblem Fates, Part 1!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Firstly, yeah, yeah, I AM working on the updates to all of my stories. I've just been busy and my interest in the stuff the stories are based on has waned and waxed with my general mood; also, I've spent quite a lot of time either studying for exams, lying ill in bed while studying for exams or hanging out with family. But, don't worry. I think I've got this all figured out.**

 **Also, likelihood is that this will be a two-parter; one about the first couple of chapters (one or two I will probably skip for lack of interesting things to say about them) and the next about the "best" (for a certain value of best) from all three routes. Part of this is by convenience; I don't feel like replaying all three routes for the sake of about 3-5,000 words and part of this is logic; I'd rather focus on the highlights I feel would be hilarious to do. If you've got any suggestions as to which levels should be featured, please say so in the reviews. Anyway, onwards with the chapter!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise there'd be a save bonus in** _ **Shadows of Valentia**_ **based on** _ **Fates**_ **. (Fates did it already with Awakening, anyway).**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Okay. Again! S-so…..Kaze, I-I was…..w-wondering if you and I…..I mean…..if we could…..ugh!"

Felicia groaned, slumping to her feet. She was standing in front of a mirror in her quarters, with Azura sitting next to the mirror, shaking her head and sighing.

"Felicia, you have to calm yourself down."

"But it's so hard!", the maid protested, placing her head in her hands. "How would _you_ say "I'm in love with you?!""

Azura remained unfazed by the maid's panic. "I'd go up to them and say so."

"…how can you be so _open_?!"

"I learned after years of being pent up and quiet that getting what I want would never happen if I stayed clammed up. Also, I got tired of suitors constantly pestering me."

Felicia groaned, the sound muffled by her hands. "Ohhh…..but what if Kaze rejects me? I-I mean, there's tons of other women he could c-choose, and why would he pick me? I'm just a maid, right? There's probably plenty of rich and beautiful-"  
"Felicia."  
"Y-yes?"  
"Shut up," the songstress bluntly rebuked her. "…..besides, Kaze's not just interested in looks or riches. And you're always in a maid uniform, so you've got a huge advantage in the 'adorableness' area."

"B-but what would he see i-in me?"

"…..if you're asking me to comfort you, I'm not doing that," Azura replied. "That's Kaze's job. As your boyfriend."

"B-but he isn't-"  
"No, he is. He just doesn't know it yet," the songstress corrected her. "If you keep thinking like that, you'll never get your chance. Besides, I doubt he'll reject you. He went all the way to Nohr to grab a flower for you, didn't he?"  
"Like the tales of old," Corrin interjected as he stood in the doorway, a dusty old tome in his hand.

Felicia looked up. "Huh?"  
"I was wondering where I've heard someone going all the way to a snowy mountain or whatever to go grab their beloved a flower, and, well…." Corrin adjusted the tome to show the title, 'Tales for Elibean Nights'. "Found this in the library. Don't know where it came from; Lilith says she's never seen it before either."

"…..Elibe? Where's that supposed to be?" Azura inquired, tilting her head. The prince shrugged.

"The name's familiar to me because it's from a bunch of video games from the Outrealms. You know, like the ones they made of us that I told you about once. Same series, even."

"…..we're part of a series?" the songstress inquired further. "…..how many games would people want to play about us?"

Felicia looked confused. "Wait, how's that supposed to be relevant?"

"I just found it interesting that in one of 'em, a noble- a Marquess, to be exact- went and did the same thing. Exactly. For his wife. Who, by the way, was also a common lady from the ice. And, considering Kaze's a retainer for the King of Valla-"  
"Which, if I remember correctly, you gave up the position because nobody wanted to live here anyway," Azura interjected.

Corrin continued regardless. "And you happen to be a common lady from the ice…..you catching my drift?"

Felicia slowly shook her head. The prince sighed, exasperated.

"Well, worth a shot," Corrin muttered, before turning to Azura. "Actually, the one thing I did find odd was that you'd think that the records would match the Outrealms' ones, but no. Like for instance, the Marquess' wife apparently died young in all the ones I found outside here, but in these records, she lived for another eighty years or so."

Azura raised an eyebrow. "…..that's odd. You would think the records about the same thing would be the same across the worlds. You sure that one isn't wrong?"

"I've no reason to think it is, considering it pretty much matches everything else about it on that front," the prince replied, before shaking his head. "Eh. I'll think about it later. Nice to think about other things than the plan."

Azura caught on immediately. "The Plan" was his simple scheme to pair together Flora and Jakob. After hours and hours of planning, Corrin had finally hit upon the perfect solution that would finally get Flora exactly what she wanted. All he needed, he'd claimed as he regaled an irritated and sleepy Azura with this in the early hours of the morning, was Jakob on his own. At least, that was the theory. He didn't actually _tell_ her what it was; mostly because she'd actually told him- probably in far harsher words than she ought to have- to get out of her room to let her get some sleep.

Still, his dedication to the cause of Flora's happiness wasn't to be questioned. Azura toyed with the notion that Corrin himself might be in love with her, before chuckling.

' _Hmph. He'd tell me if he loved her, anyway.'_

The three of them, of course, were interrupted by a very distressed-looking Jakob bursting into the room. Corrin, taking heed of his butler's expression, stood up at once.

"Jakob? What's going on?"  
"Lady Elise!" He sputtered, his prim composure replaced with concern for the young princess. "She's been…..hit with something from the sky. I've sent for Azama-"

Corrin's head immediately shot up, staring at him. "Wait, WHAT?!"

"She was knocked unconscious and she's in the infirm-"  
"Dammit, Elise!" The prince cried, before immediately plowing past Jakob to get to his little sister. Azura and Felicia shared a worried look, before nodding and following suit, far less roughly than the prince did.

* * *

 _Minutes later….._

"It was just a little bump!" Elise chirped, sitting up in bed in the infirmary. "Honestly, I'm fine."

"What if you're still injured and we don't know it yet?" Corrin pointed out, still looking incredibly concerned. He rubbed the back of his head, frowning. "Elise, you have to take that kind of injury more seriously."

The young princess frowned, but sighed. "Sorry…..but it wasn't that big of a bump! Honest!"

Azura looked over to Jakob. "What even hit her anyway? It can't have been that big."

"Some…..odd contraption made of something that I can't quite place," the butler handed over a red and black rectangular object, held closed with two hinges. Corrin's eyes glinted in recognition as he looked over it.

"…..that's a 3DS."

"A what?"

"Outrealm thing, just like the laptop," the prince explained. "My roommate had one of these in blue. That's how I found out about people making games about us. What's one doing here, I wonder….."

Jakob looked irritated. "More Outrealm nonsense…I wonder how you put up with it for so long, living there."

Felicia tilted her head at the device in Azura's hand. "…..w-why don't you open it? M-might as well, right?"

"Maybe it might have more games!" Elise looked excited at the prospect of playing more games, but Corrin frowned at her.

" _Not_ you. If this thing DOES have games on it, you're not playing any until we're sure you're not about to drop dead." Suddenly, something caught Corrin's eye, next to Elise. He gazed over to see…..

"…..why's Scarlet here?" He inquired, staring at the bedridden wyvern rider who was currently huddled in a blanket with her eyes shut and a groaning sound drifting from her mouth. "She okay?"

Jakob looked irritated. "Ah, yes, Miss Scarlet. I found her stumbling into the palace entrance, completely drunk and singing some gods-awful song about bottles on a wall."

"…that explains where Laslow and Niles were, Leo and Xander kept complaining to me about them this morning," Corrin grumbled. "Oh, well."

* * *

 _Corrin's Office….._

"It seems rather convenient that these devices fall in the one world where someone knows how to actually use them," Azura mused as she sat next to Corrin, peering into the tiny screen of the 3DS in his hand. "Imagine if they fell somewhere else. I'd imagine they'd be worshipping it as the next Dawn Dragon. Or try to melt it down to use as a sword like they do with meteors."

Corrin nodded in agreement. "Almost as if we're in a story about that kind of thing."

"Almost indeed. To think you could make these kinds of things in the Outrealms…..I really do have to go out there one day."

"Well, you could pass as a…..halfway decent cosplayer," Corrin teased her with a smirk. The songstress fixed him with a glare.

"…..are you implying I'd be a terrible imitator of myself?"  
"Well, your costume could use work," the prince mused. Azura snorted dismissively.

"Please. Yours looks positively rundown compared to mine. I, at least, don't look like I have some sort of odd puzzle for a dress."

"It goes with the dragon form."

"You mean the glorified deer you transform into?"

Corrin snorted, conceding the victory. "Touché. Feels like months since I've actually had a good trade with you."  
"Well, if you actually decided to spend time with me instead of your girlfriend, we'd talk more," the songstress teased. Corrin tilted his head curiously.

"Girlfriend?"

"Flora," Azura pointed out, a little confused. "Why, is there anyone else I don't know about?"

The prince froze, staring at her. "W-what's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you two spend a lot of time together, is it really that hard to think you two might just be in love?" Azura remarked with a shrug. "Not that I'd really mind. Flora deserves someone like you."

The prince raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"Well, you go to so much effort to make her happy," the songstress explained. "You're there for her every time she's down, you spend half your free time doing everything possible to cheer her up and be her friend and you _grew up with her_ doing the same thing. In _what world_ would people not mistake you for being in love with her?"

"She wants Jakob, not someone like me," Corrin remarked, waving his hand dismissively. "Besides, it wouldn't work out. I'm not right for her."

Azura raised an eyebrow, looking surprised. "You, not right for her? Did you just-"  
"Look," Corrin answered almost forcefully, cutting Azura off. "It's….I'm not right for her. Can we not joke about that?"

There was a hint of something to Corrin's voice; some regret, some bitterness. Azura knew that tone well enough; it was the same tone she spoke in when she spoke about her time as a captive of Hoshido, and before she was beloved by her siblings; the time when she had been kidnapped as retribution for Corrin's own kidnapping.

Azura dropped the matter. "Yes, fair enough."

'… _.I wonder that's about?'_ the songstress wondered to herself quietly. _'…..it can wait. Corrin'll come to me about it. I know it.'_

"Well, here we are. Fire Emblem Fates," Corrin motioned at the screen, looking at the wallpaper, completely oblivious to either himself or Azura's concerned look. "Oh, that's hardly fair. Why do _you_ get centre space? _I'm_ the main character!"  
"You saying I didn't contribute to the war?" Azura remarked, before lifting an eyebrow and snorting. "Please, you'd all be doomed without me and you know it. You needed me. That's why I get to be the main character and you don't."

"Please, the _dancer_ is never the main character in the games. I should know, my roommate played almost all of them," Corrin waved her off dismissively. "Besides, who remembers Phina? Tethys? _Ninian_?"  
"Don't namedrop people I've never even heard of," the songstress shot back. "Hang on, wasn't Ninian that one dancer you said people in the Outrealms thought I looked like?"

"…..well, they called you Nainin, technically, but….yeah. I can kinda see it, really," the prince admitted with a shrug. "You do sorta look like Ninian….only you're prettier and you do your hair differently. And your eyes aren't red."

"I'm not sure if being called prettier than some woman who may or may not exist is a compliment-"

"Actually…..do you mind if I join in?"

The pair looked up to see Flora leaning by the threshold of the door, looking in. Azura smiled at her, pulling a chair aside for her.

"Sure," she replied welcomingly, patting the new seat next to her. "I'll allow it."

"Corrin, you don't mind, do you?" the maid inquired as she took her place, shutting the door behind her. "I mean, if I'm intruding between you and Azura-"  
"No, no, not at all," the prince answered with a smile. "Come on, sit. You'll…..probably find this odd. But funny. Hopefully."

Flora smiled back. "That's the idea, right?"

….

 _Meanwhile, on the other side of the door…._

"You go get him, Flora!" Felicia whispered behind the door, her hand tightly clenched and pumped. "Go get your man!"

"Yeah, Flora, go get Corrin!"

Felicia's eyes widened as she looked behind herself to see Elise, also leaning against the door. "L-Lady Elise! I thought you were s-still recovering?"

"I'm okay! Really!" The princess chirped. "Besides, I couldn't miss this! Has Flora said anything yet?"

"N-no, she's just got inside," the maid replied, punching the floor lightly. "I _still_ can't believe my sister's on love with Corrin. I-it's like one of those romance stories, right?"

"Yes, which is why it is our duty- nay, our _sovereign obligation_ to get Corrin and Flora together!" Elise declared, posing magnificently. "The stars _themselves_ decree that this couple be together and fight the dark lords of the Darkrealm and have many strong children together!"

"…..have you been hanging out with Odin again?"

"He's just so _fun_!" Elise replied defensively, puffing her cheeks out. "He's also pretty sweet when you get past all the hamming. And….I suppose it's a little fun letting loose like that! How does he do it?"

"Maybe the stars decree _you_ and him be together," Felicia replied teasingly, to which Elise responded by blushing.

"U-uh?! M-me? Him? N-no way!" The princess squeaked out in a way that in no way actually denied her attraction to Odin. Felicia giggled.

"Awww, that's so cute! But later! For now, we're here to root for Flora! Quietly! Because Corrin will p-probably kill us both if he hears us!"

"R-right!" Elise hissed out, crouching next to Felicia to prop herself up against the door.

* * *

 _Ties that Bind_

"…is it entirely necessary to make a female character?" Azura inquired. "Why don't you just make…..yourself? And did you really have to make yourself _blonde_?"

"Eh, I don't much like the voices they give me," Corrin answered. "They all sound too old. And besides, if I'm going to play this, I might as well have someone pretty to look at, right? Not that I already don't have two attractive women next to me."

Azura crossed her arms, looking bemused. "Don't go and start buttering us up, Corrin. It isn't going to work on me. Especially not after you spent a whole day hopped up on love potion contemplating the roundness and perkiness of Flora's buttocks."

Corrin shot Flora a glare, the maid stifling a giggle. "You told her? How could you?"

"I didn't say a thing," she replied. "Elise did."

The prince looked away, muttering under his breath. "Yeah, I suppose that makes sense."

"Nice to know they got _my_ voice right, at least," Azura commented as the game opened on a cutscene of her singing. "Although…hang on a minute, I _never_ did that in a lake!"

Corrin's eyes suddenly narrowed. "Oh, right. I remember what _actually_ happened when you did that." Flora looked over. "Huh? What happened?"

"The same thing," the songstress replied. "Only I was naked."

The maid paused, her eyes widened as she stared at Azura. "W-what!? And Corrin….saw you?"  
"Not the first time it'd happen," the prince muttered irritably as the songstress smirked. "What's up with that, anyway?"

"I'm not risking getting these dresses soggy and wet," she answered, plucking at the gauzy fabric of her clothing. "They were a gift from my mother and they're a pain to repair."

Flora seemed relieved at hearing that, looking away and laughing a little. "O-oh. I-I see, okay. So….nothing indecent, then."

"…..well, two for four, they nailed Ryoma and Azura _just_ right," Corrin remarked as the cutscenes continued playing. "But the voices they picked for me sound odd- except one of the female ones- and Xander sounds like an old man. Oh, well. Points for effort- oh, what? That simple? Come on, game, a little harder."

 _Nohr_

"Oh! I remember this!" Flora piped up. "This was the day before…..it all kicked off and we….woke you up by showering you in cold wind."

Corrin groaned as he remembered that day too. "Oh, yes, I remember that. Dammit, Flora, you didn't need to do that, I would've woken up! Or….maybe taken a few extra minutes in bed. Well, make that another voice they nailed, their actress for you sounds like….you."

"It feels odd talking about ourselves as if we're characters in some game," Flora remarked curiously. "Do you think whoever made this thought they'd have their games played by the people in them?"  
"Stranger things have happened," Corrin answered. "I have a feeling this isn't even the first time this has happened. Or indeed the last."

As the scene transitioned and the fight started, Corrin huffed after winning.

"Oh, that's a lie!" He protested. "I totally didn't need a Dragon's Vein to beat Xander. And he didn't have a _horse_ either. Otherwise he definitely would've beaten me."

Azura glanced over at Flora. "Is this true? You're a witness."

"They did three matches, Corrin lost two of them," the maid answered. "Xander let Corrin win the last one. He told me he felt sorry for him."

The prince looked betrayed. "Wha-? Xander did not-! I totally-dammit! I thought I actually beat him properly! Couldn't you have let me have that one, Flora?"

"Azura asked nicely," the maid replied, frowning. "Sorry if it's actually offended you…."  
"No, no, it's fine," the prince reassured her, sighing. "But dammit, I thought Leo was the one who took the most humiliation that day."

The songstress almost sputtered. "You mean he _actually_ wore his collar inside out? That wasn't some sort of joke?"

"Nope, definitely happened," Corrin answered with a grin.

"Still not as funny as you getting a pity-win from Xander."

Corrin glared at the songstress irritably. Azura, for her part, had a smug look on her face.

 _Gift of Ganglari_

"Oh, I remember this," Corrin replied with slightly less enthusiasm. "I…..really didn't want to kill them. But it's a lie; it wasn't a skirmish that got Rinkah and Kaze captured by Nohr."

"What was it, actually?" Flora inquired. "I've also forgotten the reason."  
"Well, Garon said it was a skirmish," the prince started. "But….actually, Kaze was trying to find the Northern Fortress, Rinkah offered to guide him there because she said she knew where it was. She instead led him straight into Castle Krakenburg. Into Garon's _bedroom_. The guy woke up in the middle of the night and almost killed them both on the spot…..and decided to have me kill them instead."

Azura stared at them. "Wait, _what_?"

"Yep. Managed to walk straight in without getting caught by the guards," the prince replied. "Rinkah made Kaze swear to say it was a skirmish and not her getting hideously lost, but I got it out of her."

"How?"

"Rinkah talks a lot when she's drunk," Corrin explained, shrugging.

….

 _Meanwhile, outside….._

"O-oh, I remember that day too!" Felicia whispered. "That was the first time I ever met Kaze…."

Elise gazed over. "Huh? Oh, right! That…I still can't believe we all hated each other back then."

Felicia twiddled her fingers awkwardly. "Hm…..a-actually…."

The princess stared at her in shock. " _No_. No way. You _didn't_ -"

"I…..uh….." the maid blushed profusely as she stuttered. "W-well….Kaze _was_ pretty nice…."

...

 _Two years ago, Castle Krakenburg…._

"I really don't want to do this!" Felicia yelped as she hid behind a pile of rubble, with Jakob and Corrin covering one entrance into the dilapidated Dragon Vein shrine, Gunter holding out the other. The Flame Tribe girl, the ninja and the other Hoshidan soldiers circled around the shrine, attempting to find an entrance into the fortified area.

"They are enemies of Lord Corrin, and so we must fight!" Gunter roared, deflecting a sword strike with his lance.

"Do we have to?" Corrin replied with a frown. "They're already prisoners, they don't need to-"  
"Corrin, they are enemies of Nohr and so thus we cannot let them live," Jakob reminded him, harshly but calmly. "I am sorry, but sometimes difficult decisions like this must be made."

While Felicia was listening in on this, a pair of hands suddenly yanked around her neck and pulled her out of the cover. With a yelp, the maid flailed around and smacked her unknown assailant in the face, knocking his _shuriken_ out of his hands. The ninja stepped backwards, clutching his nose and groaning as he let the maid drop to the ground.

"Oh, good gods!" He exclaimed, his eyes squeezed shut in pain. "That hurt! What….w-was that your hand?"

"O-oh! S-sorry!" Felicia squealed, shaking her head and reaching towards him. "I-I'll fix that! J-Just hold still!"

"N-no, get away!" The ninja shouted, pulling out another _shuriken_ and pointing it at her as he revealed his face, revealing…..

' _Oh my….'_

The most handsome man Felicia had ever met.

His hair was a dark green- rather odd, but then her sister had blue hair and so did her father, so it was hardly her place to complain. He had the right mix of angles and softness to his face, his eyes were enthralling and he was-

"What kind of Nohrian art did you use to _hit_ that hard?" The ninja spoke suddenly, snapping Felicia out of her fugue. "I think I broke my nose…."

"I….a-actually, I-I just don't know my strength that well," the maid replied, rubbing the back of her head as she kept her dagger at close range. "S-sorry. My sister says I do that a lot. I-I could fix it, if you'd like."

"…..what kind of Nohrian fixes their enemy's noses?"

Felicia's frown deepened. "A-actually, I….I don't really want to fight you. I-I'm just here because the King ordered me to be a-and-"

"So….you don't hate Hoshido?" The ninja stared at her dumbfounded. She shook her head.

"N-no! I've never even _been_ to Hoshido! W-why would I hate it? Did you do something bad?"

The green-haired man rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Well, uh…..this is kind of awkward, then. You…..really seem quite nice…not like what they all say about you back home."

He lowered his weapon. "I really can't hurt you, not if you're….not _evil_. Sorry, I know this is a bad idea, but-"

"O-oh, it's okay! R-really!" Felicia cried, lowering her own weapon. "I….don't really want to fight either…."

"It's a shame we have to be enemies," the ninja sighed. "Well, if we get out of this alive, both of us, I'd like to meet you again. I'm Kaze."

"My name's Felicia," the maid answered, smiling sweetly at him. "N-nice to meet you. W-why are you here, anyway?"

Suddenly, a loud girlish scream emerged from the shrine, followed by Jakob being thrown over the barrier and the Flame Tribe girl leaping after him with a club, roaring ferociously.

Kaze frowned. "Ah. The fight is reaching here. I can't be seen talking with a Nohrian, but I….can't really fight you, Felicia. I'm not here to fight, anyway. I'm looking for someone."

"H-how about this?", the maid suggested. "W-we pretend to fight and then i-if you get out alive, I'll get Corrin to help you find who you're looking for?"

The ninja raised an eyebrow. "Actually, that's-"

Suddenly, Jakob was hurled into the wall next to Felicia, causing the maid to squeal in surprise. Kaze had to stop himself from rushing to her protection. The Flame Tribe girl glared at Kaze.

"Well? Are you going to help me fight or not?"

"Right!" The ninja nodded, drawing his weapon and pouncing at Felicia, taking care to avoid actually hurting her.

Felicia squealed in surprise and accidentally slugged Kaze in the face when she meant to protect herself, knocking him unconscious instantly. The ninja slumped to the ground with a groan and a barely-coherent "not again".

"Ah!" She screamed, looking down at his unconscious form. "S-sorry, Kaze! I really am! Ooohhh…"

….

" _No_ ," Elise stared at Felicia in disbelief. "That is _not_ what happened. No way. That's impossible! That's _way_ too unrealistic, even for me!"

"I-I swear, that's _exactly_ how it happened!" Felicia protested, before looking away blushing. "F-Flora told me off badly after that…"  
"So you fell in love with Kaze at first sight?" Elise gasped, before giggling. "That's _sooooo_ romantic!"

"D-don't tell anyone!" The maid pleaded. "I-it's a little embarrassing…..b-besides, nobody's going to believe that the f-first time I met the man I love w-was when I accidentally broke his nose while fighting him…."

* * *

 _Hoshido_

"You know, now that I think about it, Mikoto really wasn't my mom," Corrin mused out loud. Azura stared at him.

"Huh? What do you mean?"  
"Well, I mean, I don't remember her all that well," the prince explained with a shrug. "Don't get me wrong, I….still didn't take losing her well…"  
"I bet you didn't, you trashed the marketplace over it," the songstress remarked drily, but let Corrin continue.

"But…..well, to be honest, Camilla was more like my mom than she ever was."

Flora shuddered. "If Camilla was more like your mother figure, then there are questions that need to be asked."

"I don't think mothers want to bed their sons," Azura remarked, agreeing with the maid.

"Well, you know what I mean," the prince replied defensively, before sighing. "What I'm saying is, Flora, you and everyone else in Nohr were more my family than anyone else. I grew up with you guys and….even now, I find it a little hard to think of Ryoma and the others as family instead of friends."

Flora smiled at that. "…..I'd be honoured to be considered family to you, Corrin."

"Oh, when did you two get married?" Azura interjected with a grin. "I can't believe Flora's your wife now."

Flora's face flushed deep red. "T-that's not what I meant!"

"I know what you meant," Corrin reassured her, smiling back. "Thanks. And Azura, do you mind?"

"I'm sorry," the songstress sighed. "I'm just making up for years of not doing this at all, you know?"

…..

 _Meanwhile, outside…._

"Hah! Take that, Sakura!" Elise smugly declared. "Corrin thinks _I'm_ the better little sister!"

"T-that's a bad thing!" Felicia corrected her, panicking. "If Corrin thinks o-of all of us as family, that means Corrin thinks of F-Flora as family! He'll never fall in love w-with her like that!"  
"Oh…." the princess suddenly deflated. "Right…."

…..

 _Mother_

"I still can't believe that Sakura thought Elise was my _girlfriend_ ," Corrin muttered with a shudder. "I mean….she's my _sister_. Can you imagine that?"

Flora nodded in agreement. "Indeed so. I mean….you ought to be with someone closer to your age, right?"

"Yes, of course," the prince answered. "And…..Elise isn't my type anyway. I like someone….quiet. Nice. Like you."

"Or Azura!" Flora suggested hastily. The songstress looked at her curiously.

' _Like me-oh, right. Corrin's cover was that he was in love with me,'_ Azura remembered. _'…..I almost forgot about that.'_

"Well, you're not so bad yourself, either," the songstress replied teasingly.

"No, he's better with you!" Flora answered a bit too forcefully. "I-I mean….maybe he likes you better."

"…..you know, that'd be an interesting thing to tell the kids," Corrin mused. "Your grandfather accidentally killed your grandmother while trying to kill me."

Azura lifted an eyebrow. "…..in what world would that be interesting? 'Horrifying', maybe."

"Well, who _else_ would be able to say that?"

"The only possible way that'd make it even worse than that is if you accidentally killed your wife," the songstress replied. "But I don't think anyone's nearly _that_ unfortunate."

….

 _Elsewhere in the Fire Emblem multiverse…._

"Achoo!" Ninian rubbed her nose, blinking in confusion as the sneeze left her. A chill had run down the dancer's spine, a premonition of something odd and yet entirely untroubling.

"My love, are you coming down with something?" Eliwood inquired, tilting his head. The two were sitting in the gardens of their palace in Pherae, briefly enjoying a moment of respite from the problems of noble life.

"No," she answered with a shake of her head. "….I felt very….odd. As if…..someone were talking about us, somewhere…..far away. The feeling made me want to sneeze, for some reason."

"That's silly," the marquess reassured her. "It's a superstition. It can't be true. Otherwise we'd sneeze every time someone talks about us."

"You're right. Perhaps I….am coming down with something. Might we go back inside?"

….

 _The Path is Yours_

"Huh, interesting," Corrin noted. "So I get to pick which side I go with? I heard about this part, actually, but…..well, I must've forgotten about it. All three routes, too…."

Flora tilted her head curiously. "…..it'd certainly be a nice way to tell a story."

"That's a hard choice to make," Azura admitted, looking down thoughtfully. "On one hand, my family is in Hoshido…..but you two, Elise and the rest of my friends are Nohrian…"

"I wouldn't hesitate here," Corrin remarked bluntly. "I'd do what I did the first time and run away. I'm sorry, I couldn't fight any of you, you know? I couldn't."

A smirk grew across his face.

"Still…..I do get to beat up Takumi if I side with Nohr or if I choose not to side with anyone."

Azura stared at him with a deadpan look on her face. "So beating up Takumi is the dealbreaker for you."

"…..I may or may not be still a little resentful over him being a jerk to me when I got taken back to Hoshido," the prince shiftily admitted, glancing between the two women beside him. "Maybe."

"…..fair enough," the songstress acquiesced. "Right. Which do we side with first?"

Corrin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hm…. Hoshido, Nohr or neither?"

….

 _Meanwhile, outside…._

"Clearly he has to side with Nohr!" Elise exclaimed. "All his friends are here and his family AAAAAND his cute little sister!"

"But he could side with Hoshido, w-where his family is…." Felicia pointed out. "And besides, Garon was…around…..a-and maybe he could use the help of his siblings to fight him, right?"

"Soooo, what'cha doing?"

Elise and Felicia yelped in surprise to see Scarlet, no longer hungover and standing next to them with a cheeky grin on her face.

"W-we're….uh…." The maid looked around in panic. "I-I drop-"  
"You were eavesdropping on Corrin's office to see if Azura would confess to Corrin," the wyvern rider completed, nodding as if she understood what was going on.

The princess and maid shared a look for a moment. Then they gazed back at Scarlet.

"Y-yes! That's it!" _'Ooohh…..this i-isn't going to end well….'_  
"Totally what's going on!" _'Shouldn't have said that! Now how am I supposed to get Flora to confess to Corrin?!'_

"Well, I'm listening in too!" Scarlet declared boisterously, before sitting down next to them and leaning against the door with her ear. "This is gonna be fun, right?"

* * *

 **To be continued…..**

* * *

 **A/N: Finally, got this chapter out. Good god, even if it's bad, I'll take a few hits to actually have achieved something outside of the academic world for the first time in a while. Also, I need to shake off the rust. I haven't written** _ **anything**_ **in months. Well, anything apart from essays. Exams are bearing down on me pretty soon.**

 **Anyway, next time, highlights from all three routes, and I hope you enjoyed that chapter, leave your ideas, comments, criticisms, suggestions and thoughts, and I hope you have a GREAT day! Until next time!**


	33. Corrin Reacts to Fire Emblem Fates Pt 2

**Corrin Reacts to Fire Emblem Fates, Part 2!**

 **A/N: Welcome, one and all, to Corrin Reacts! Damn, it's been a long time since I last updated. I'm very, very sorry about the very long hiatus. Between exams, getting settled into university, general burnout, family business, lack of interest in fanfic and getting stuck in to other games (including, ironically,** _ **Shadows of Valentia**_ **), I've really let my fanfic fall by the wayside. However, I AM still actively working on my fanfic projects, when I've got the time. I've actually plotted out the climax to the first half of** _ **Corrin Reacts**_ **, for one, and, by hell or high water, I will give some sort of conclusion to my fanfics; whether carrying them to the bitter end like I'd planned, or giving them an early finish, which shouldn't be hard considering I've already plotted out the endings for most of them. It's high time I started writing again, really; it's been a while since I've got to flex my creative muscles. Which, coincidentally, have probably atrophied to the size of peanuts now. Anyway! As for the content of this chapter, I've decided against a more linear structure; the game is far too large and I've got far too many things planned for me to do it that way. Well, you'll see anyway, so I won't explain it right now. Anyway, enough blathering and on with the work!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem belongs to Intelligent Systems, otherwise I would actually roll characters under their banners in** _ **Heroes**_ **. (Seriously, the amount of orbs I've blown trying to roll Ninian and Celica, they've probably made at least a hundred bucks off me trying to pull them. They'll probably make millions off me once they put Flora in.)**

 **All mentioned franchises and characters belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Hm. Hoshido, Nohr, or neither," Corrin mused, his eyes poring over the choices. "Azura, what do you think?"

"Hm. The drought-ridden nation ruled by an undead king, possessed by an insane dragon god who wants to kill everyone, or the practical utopia ruled by your brother who wants to go kill all your adoptive siblings just for being Nohrian?" the songstress remarked, mockingly rubbing her own chin. "Those are two rather nice options you've been given there, Corrin."

"…..point taken. I'll go with neither for now. Y'know, like what really happened," the prince decided. "Then we'll….oh. Well, I probably should've noticed that already."

"Huh?" Flora tilted her head. "Noticed what?"  
"….this game's already had saves on it. Saves for all three routes." Corrin noticed as he flicked through the save files. "Okay….I suppose that's that. We'll go with those, see how far we get. There's _no_ way I'm playing through the whole game."

"Why not?" Flora inquired. "Aren't you curious about what it has to say?"

"Well, a little bit, but I'd rather actually do something else today aside from playing games," Corrin admitted. "Besides, there's three routes; basically three full-sized games. That'd take me at least two weeks."

….

 _Meanwhile, behind the door…._

"Do you two mind budging up?" Scarlet complained, pressing her ear up against the door. "I can't hear anything like this."

Felicia and Elise were squashed beneath the wyvern rider, who had joined them on their eavesdropping mission. All three ladies were stacked up with their heads glued to the door, attempting to hear what was going on inside the room, resembling some sort of deranged totem pole. Scarlet, being as she was a skilled wyvern rider, was also the biggest and most muscular of the three of them, posing problems for the rather petite princess and the rather unendowed maid she was currently crushing.

"If you could move _up_ a bit," Elise hissed, one eye shut as she tried to prop up the weight of the other two women above her, only succeeding due to having the strength of the wall and floor working for her. "That'd be really nice!"

"Aiiieee…..help…." Felicia, who was sandwiched between the two, squeaked out. "You two…..are crushing meeeeee….."

"Oh. Sorry," Scarlet replied, before propping herself off of Felicia. The maid gasped, taking in air as if she'd been submerged in water, almost hyperventilating before catching herself. The wyvern rider rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, you two need to work out more," she chided them, patting her biceps. "Felicia, you're supposed to be Corrin's bodyguard and you can't even take _my_ weight."

Elise hissed at them again, silencing them with a finger to her lip. "Hey, if you two keep arguing, they'll hear us and they'll know we're listening in!"

Of course, unbeknownst to them, a very puzzled Mozu and Silas were watching them from the very end of the corridor.

"Is…..this some weird city thing you people do?" the villager girl inquired, scratching her head. "Because if it is, I don't understand it one bit."

"No, I don't get it either," the cavalier added. "That's Corrin's office. I don't even know why he _needs_ an office, outside of….y'know."

Mozu shrugged. "You think they lost a needle or somethin' down there? Maybe I can help 'em look."

"I think this is probably none of our business," Silas remarked, rubbing the back of his head.

' _I mean, it's probably my business, but Corrin can handle himself, right? It's not like he's getting in trouble or anything.'_

"You know what? I think you're right," Mozu conceded. She too didn't particularly want to delve into whatever details were involved in whatever was going on behind the door. "The needle can wait. 'Sides, it's probably nothing interesting."

Silas thought carefully. "Well, we keep saying that, but then Niles or somebody shows up telling us how we missed all the fun stuff. Y'know, like Corrin busting his way out of Castle Krakenburg on a wyvern?"

"Fun stuff?" Mozu gasped, looking offended. "That's some way to call what I do boring!"  
"No offense, but….spending three hours waiting for a rabbit to fall into a spike pit so we can spitroast it is not the kinda thing I saw myself doing when I said I'd spend time with you," Silas confessed awkwardly. Mozu's expression just grew even more offended as she stared at her friend.

"T-this is how us people out in the country have fun! I thought you wanted to know what that was like!"

"Hey, hey, I did, I did! I just, y'know, didn't expect it to be like that!"

The expression on Mozu's face of utter indignation told Silas he wasn't about to escape this as they walked away. He groaned.

* * *

 _Into the Ground_

"Oh, this brings back memories," Corrin remarked as his game counterpart begged Xander and Ryoma not to fight each other. "Not great ones, but memories."

"I still think you had to be _insane_ to do this," Azura remarked, staring at Corrin. "Seriously, of all the people I've ever met, you're the _only_ person I know who has the sheer _insanity_ to challenge _two_ armies. Of the biggest powers in the world, even."

Flora simply nodded. "It's Corrin. He's been like that for…..as long as I can remember, really."

"Still, this isn't how I remember this going," the prince commented. "No, this isn't how I remember this going. For one, what kind of a stupid idea was 'attack both of them until they'll listen to us?!"

Azura snorted. "I don't know. What kind of a stupid idea was 'let's try to get these hostile armies to negotiate when they're already raring to go?'"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time, alright?"

…..

 _Years ago, during the war….._

Xander and Ryoma's puzzled expressions, despite being for completely different reasons, were exactly the same as they stared at Corrin; Azura shared the same expression, also not quite understanding just what the prince was trying to do. The two of them stood in front of their respective armies, the rose of Nohr and the _sakura_ of Hoshido emblazoned on the flags of their respective standards, legions of spearmen in lacquered armor behind Ryoma facing legions of mounted cavalry in plate under Xander's banner.

Each group of royal siblings stood behind the young kings of their kingdom, facing their opposite number; Camilla's glare shot daggers at an uncaring Hinoka, Leo and Takumi sized each other up, like coiled snakes circling one another, preparing to strike at any time, and only Elise and Sakura seemed regretful for what was about to transpire, both their gazes on their beloved older brother, hoping against hope that Corrin would succeed and that there would be no need for battling that day.

"You can't possibly be suggesting we negotiate," Ryoma declared, glaring at his Nohrian counterpart. "Corrin, you know what they did to us. To your _mother_."

"We did nothing. You kidnapped our brother!" Xander replied, an intense glare of his own directed at the king of Hoshido. "I am here to show our strength, not to talk! The time for talk has long gone!"  
"WAIT!" Corrin desperately yelled, but it was no use; Xander and Ryoma had already charged at each other, Siegfried and Raijinto dancing between them, flashes of shadow and lightning as Ryoma's deft footwork was countered by Xander's height advantage.

Takumi simply turned to the lost prince and his erstwhile sister, his gaze full of hatred and disgust.

"As I thought. You two were just Nohrian traitors after all," he spat, aiming his bow at the songstress. "A traitor should be punished! You first, Azura!"

'… _..and here I thought we were going to be good friends,'_ the prince thought to himself sardonically, before raising his sword to defend himself, placing himself between Takumi and Azura.

Takumi's hand, however, was faster than Corrin's, as his arrow let fly before Corrin could even pull out a sword to defend himself-

"D-don't you dare lay a finger on him!"

A dagger sailed through the air, intercepting Takumi's arrow as both clattered uselessly to the ground. The Hoshidan prince only had a few seconds to react before another dagger dug itself into his sleeve, missing his arm by mere inches. He jumped back, hiding behind a nearby rock to avoid another dagger being thrown at him.

Felicia jumped to Corrin's side, three daggers in her palm, keeping a stern eye on his erstwhile attacker for a moment before turning her head aside to check on her master.

"Are you alright? Is everything okay? We came as soon as we heard! I thought it was going to be bad but not _this_ bad!" the maid uttered, her voice becoming steadily more panicky as she took stock of the increasingly worse situation. "Oh, no, no, this is _bad_!"

"Do you know if Flora's okay?" the prince asked calmly. Felicia's eyes widened.

"No! I haven't seen her since you were kidnapped!" the maid cried worriedly, and Corrin's eyes widened.

' _Oh, no. Flora…..'_ he thought to himself. _'What have I gotten you into?'_

Another arrow sailed towards them, only for Jakob to casually fling a dagger at it as he joined Felicia, cutting it out of the air and both sticking into the soft ground as the butler placed himself between Corrin and the Hoshidans.

"Now is not the time to panic," he chided his companion. "Lord Corrin is in danger and we're just in time to save them. And who might you be?"

"Azura," the songstress answered bluntly. "I'm with Corrin."

"Well, the more the merrier," he drily remarked. Both of Corrin's servants glared at the Hoshidans to warn them off.

"I'll be taking _my_ brother back, thank you!"

Camilla surged in from behind, attempting to grab Corrin, moving faster than the four of them could react. The prince could only desperately attempt to duck fast enough to avoid her wyvern, before-

"I don't think so."

A _shuriken_ sailed out through the air, catching Camilla's reins and wrenching her aside at the last minute. The Nohrian princess circled back on her mount, trying to figure who had interrupted her, before laying her eyes on the unwanted attacker.

A green-garbed _ninja_ , a pair of _shuriken_ in his hands, placed himself between the Nohrians and Corrin.

" _Kaze_?" Corrin uttered in surprise. "What are you doing here?!"

"I've spent my whole life trying to fix the mistake that got you kidnapped, and my visit to Nohr confirmed my suspicions," the _ninja_ answered. "I will be damned if I lose you so soon after finding you again, even if I must go against my own nation."

Corrin began to speak. "You don't need to-"

However, he was interrupted by Kaze, who simply and firmly shook his head. "Don't tell me to leave, I've made up my mind. I intend to fight here with you; at least I might be able to make up for what I didn't do years ago."

"I'll give you points for audacity," Jakob remarked irritably. "But I think we're quite enough to protect my lord without a _Hoshidan_ helping-"

"K-Kaze?!" Felicia squeaked in surprise. The _ninja_ whirled around to see the maid who he'd met not long ago- or rather, had his nose broken by and then subsequently been punched out by.

"Felicia! I….did not expect you to be here," he answered, before smiling. "Still, a friendly face is not unwelcome."

"Same to you! I can't believe you found us!"

Azura interrupted the two of them, loudly clearing her throat. "You will forgive me for saying this, but I don't think this is the time for any happy reunions. Corrin, you're the one who started this. Do you have a plan of action?"

Nohrian and Hoshidan troops began surrounding their group as the fight between the siblings raged. The prince thought carefully, before looking to the one who might know the situation best.

"Kaze," he directed at their newfound ally. "Do you have _any_ idea of how to get us out of here?"

The _ninja_ carefully scanned the surroundings, before nodding.

"I believe I do. We'll have to fight our way out, though. Follow me!"

"Are you sure about this, Lord Corrin?" Jakob whispered harshly towards his master. "With all due respect, he's a _Hoshidan_. How do you think we can trust him?"

"If Felicia trusts him, I trust him," Corrin replied bluntly. "And he's a good man. Now come on! We have to get out of here!"

And so their escape began.

* * *

 _Veiled Kingdom_

"Oh, I remember this," Corrin commented. "Only I don't remember Scarlet dying here. It _was_ a close call, though. I still remember Ryoma sitting there all night waiting for her to wake up."

Flora exhaled, smiling a little. "Ryoma must really love her if he did that."

"Love her?" Azura repeated, before nodding. "Yes. Corrin and I bet that she's about the only person he's showed that kind of interest in. Well, he did; I bet against."

"I'm telling you, Ryoma doesn't want anyone else but her," the prince reiterated, rolling his eyes. "I've heard enough people complaining about Ryoma _refusing_ to marry their daughters."

….

 _Outside the door….._

"Wait, _what_?!" Scarlet hissed under her breath. "I _die_ in this game or whatever?! What the hell kind of stupid screwed up thing is that?!"

Felicia tried to calm her down, waving her arms in panic. "H-hey! Calm down! It's not that bad, right? I mean, you're not actually dead, right?"

"Like hell I am! A stupid bit of magic isn't going to be enough to do me in!" the wyvern rider snapped. "That's it!"

…..

Flora, Azura and Corrin's discussion was shortly interrupted as the door behind them was kicked down. Felicia and Elise tumbled to the floor with squeaks and grunts, and a fuming Scarlet was visible behind them, breathing heavily.

The prince raised an eyebrow. "…..how long have you two been listening in?"

"Long enough to hear everything! What kind of screwed up game kills me off?!" Scarlet snapped. "Who even made this?!"

"Hey, it's not telling the full story," Flora offered as a consolation, but the wyvern rider simply ignored her, focusing on her companion.

"Corrin, I _know_ you've been to the Outrealms or whatever, so you _better_ tell me who made this so I can go show them the person they think they can just _kill_ off like that!"

"I suppose I shouldn't mention that you don't even get supports with Ryoma," Corrin offered up. Scarlet stared at him.

"The hell's a support?"

"Basically, you can't talk to Ryoma in this game. They made it so you can only marry me."

Scarlet blinked. And then blinked again.

"…..okay, firstly, you're a cool guy and a great friend, but I would _never_ marry you," Scarlet bluntly remarked. "Besides, doesn't everyone think you'd be better with Azura or something?"

Flora shifted uncomfortably in her seat at that comment, hoping nobody would notice.

"And secondly, _THAT'S STUPID!_ " Scarlet snapped. "Why wouldn't I be able to marry him?! I mean, aside from him being kind of a killjoy. Seriously, you'd think a guy whose hair looks like a palm tree would be a lot more fun to be around. I wish he'd just ask me out already; seriously, how many hints do I have to drop around your big brother that I want _him_?"

"And now you know how all the fans reacted," Corrin added drily.

"You know what? I'm going to get on that right now," the wyvern rider remarked, before turning around and walking out the door.

Felicia and Elise shared a look, before deciding to scamper out.

Azura's eyes were fixed on the door that Scarlet had kicked in. She closed her eyes, exasperated.

"I forget. Why does she live here again?" the songstress inquired to Corrin.

"Ryoma," Corrin summed up in one word, before elaborating. "It's easier to get to Hoshido from here than it is from Cheve."

"Jakob'll have a field day with the door," Azura noted calmly.

"I think he's already having one just by the fact of her living here," Flora remarked with unusual dryness. Indeed, it was very true that, in the two days or so since Scarlet moved in, Jakob had been far more stressed than usual.

' _But then, Corrin's life is crazy enough. Maybe it's not Scarlet who's the problem.'_

"Okay," Corrin exhaled as his new housemate stalked off. "I…..think we should probably take a break from Revelations, for now. I think this save should be from Birthright- the path where we all join Hoshido instead. The chapter title looks like it'll be in your backyard, Flora. Wonder what it's about?"

* * *

 _Lost in the Ice_

Flora was the one most affected, unsurprisingly, by the events of this chapter.

But then, seeing yourself commit suicide by immolation tended to do that to someone.

Corrin simply shook his head as the map ended. "…..you know, Flora, even if you did something like this, we'd forgive you, right? Felicia and I would forgive you. There's no way I would let you do something like that."

Flora simply remained silent, despite Corrin's reassurances, as her mind flashed back to the war.

Just like in the game, Garon had threatened Flora, threatened to kill her and her whole tribe unless she killed Corrin. It was an easy act of pure sadism; force Flora to choose between the family she was born into, and the family she had chosen for herself. Her relationship with Klima, her father, was complicated; it was true that he preferred Felicia to her and had expectations of Flora, but it was what it was, and Flora was in no position to question it. Still, to consign one of her families to death was a difficult choice.

Unlike the game, however, Flora had made a stand and deceived Garon, leading him on, guaranteeing her people would be safe and changing sides at the opportune moment. She refused to betray her closest, dearest friend and her own blood. Unlike her counterpart, Flora had found the strength to save both her people and her friends, and succeeded. Corrin had received her with open arms, as he always did; Flora never quite understood how he could do such a thing, how he could still care about her so deeply despite everything. Then again, that was part of why she loved him; Corrin could always understand the plight of others.

However, her whole plan was a gamble. She'd sent her people to flee and had planned herself to betray Camilla at the right moment, and even then her people only got to safety because Corrin had sent Kaze to escort them to Hoshido and freedom. Even her gamble had only succeeded through sheer luck on her part; Corrin had saved her from taking a fatal fall into the ice. It was a terrible plan, in hindsight, but it was the only plan she had time to come up with; after all, she had quite literally been put on the spot to make a decision.

Still, the decisions haunted her. It sometimes kept her up late at night, the idea of what could have happened had Flora failed; had Corrin not saved her at the right time, had Kaze not gotten her people out, had anyone even remotely suspected Flora of treachery, she would not be sitting here, now, enjoying the life she did.

The idea of being without Corrin, or betraying him, was painful to the maid. She loved him too much now to even consider such an idea.

' _And yet I may have to go without him soon enough.'_

Flora stood up, breathing deeply.

"…..I think…..that is enough for me today," she confessed, closing her eyes and nodding. "…it would be best if I left for now. Sorry."

With that, the maid made a hasty exit, leaving towards the direction of the kitchens.

"Yeah…..I think I'm done with this too," Corrin agreed, putting the console down.

Seeing Flora die, even in such a comical and ridiculous manner (after all, Corrin was far savvier than he had been during the war), was something that triggered something inside him. Any of the people he held most dear dying was something terrifying to him; he hadn't been able to sleep the night that Scarlet almost died, though he didn't draw close to Ryoma's worries, and there had been times during the war when he had almost gone insane with rage and fury when he had thought one of the people in the army had been killed.

But for some reason, Flora's demise, even fictional, even ridiculous, was something he didn't want to imagine, even more so than anyone else's.

' _I shouldn't think about this. Flora's here, she's fine, she won't be going anywhere. This is just a game, Corrin, nothing more._

 _She won't go away.'_

He didn't quite feel so reassured.

Azura simply placed a hand on his shoulder.

"…you okay, Corrin?" She asked.

"….I just need a bit of a breather, is all. I'll be fine in a bit."

"If you need someone to talk to, I'm right here," the songstress reminded him calmly.

She didn't feel the need to use her characteristic bluntness. Right now, Corrin didn't need blunt, sarcastic Azura; he needed the calm, reassuring Azura, the one who had calmed him from the draconic rage he had felt once.

"Thanks," Corrin replied, smiling. "It's always good to know you'll be here when I need you."

"You were when I needed someone," Azura answered. "It'd be unfair of me not to be there for you."

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry that I cut the Fates reaction short; it was taking too long and I actually forgot just how long the whole damn game was. I do want to do other things with the fic, so the next reaction will actually be to an anime that has taken me five years to get around to watching.**

 **Next chapter however, will be about family matters! As in, quite literally, Flora's family matters. I hope you guys have a great day, right after this stinger!**

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in the Ice Village….._

The Ice Tribe, in time, had recovered.

Their ancestral capital had been burned down by the Nohrians during the war, having been sent there to butcher them should Flora renege on her promise to kill Corrin, and had been mobilized the moment Camilla sent word that Flora had betrayed them and sided with him. Luckily for the Ice Tribe, however, they had long fled, halfway to Hoshido by the time the battle had finished and the soldiers had arrived. Still, with their homes gone, Klima had to move them elsewhere, somewhere safer, somewhere to rebuild their lives.

Two years had passed and moved on since the war, and their village had been rebuilt somewhere closer to Castle Krakenburg; under King Xander, they had more autonomy, more independence and more power. Their tribe had spread far beyond the walls of their village now, though they were still few in number in comparison to the Nohrians and the Wolfskins. They had built their walls high, their homes from stone and ice, and had thrived in the end.

Still, it couldn't last forever.

Klima was perfectly aware that he was getting old and less capable of leading the tribe. Eventually, he would need a successor, one of his daughters.

Flora was the natural choice. She was, in many ways, inferior to Felicia; the Ice Tribe were warrior people, and Flora had little aptitude compared to her sister. It was true that Felicia didn't like to practice, but then she didn't need to; she had natural skill.

What Flora was good for was her loyalty to the Tribe and her focus. She would be useful to lead the Tribe, and she would come when called.

So of course, Felicia was the superior warrior, but Flora was the natural choice to become the chieftain.

Klima sighed deeply, sitting in his study, looking at the blank roll of parchment.

It was a letter he intended to send Flora in advance of his visit.

"My child," he uttered calmly, raising his quill to write. "I am sorry. This had to happen someday, and you knew it would. It is time."

He began to put pen to paper, writing something he had practiced many times over in his mind's eye.

* * *

 **END**


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